The war in Gaza continues to escalate, as Israeli forces deepen their operations across the enclave. With airstrikes intensifying and more neighborhoods evacuated, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is growing worse by the day. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has now surpassed 50,000 since the war began.Equivalent to 1 death out of every 46 people!
Ceasefire Collapses and the Offensive Resumes
After a fragile truce brokered in mid-January fell apart, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) resumed their operations last week. On Sunday, Israeli troops advanced further into both northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip. New evacuation orders were issued, even for residents who had only recently returned to their homes.
The breakdown in talks left little room for diplomacy. As soon as negotiations stalled, Israeli air and ground campaigns picked up momentum again. 
Growing Death Toll and Intensified Strikes
In the past 24 hours alone, 39 people were reportedly killed in Israeli bombings. The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 50,000 people have now died since the war’s onset. However, the figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
The IDF reported expanding operations in the northern town of Beit Hanoun, aiming to widen what it calls a buffer zone. It also carried out additional airstrikes on Hamas facilities and claimed it was enabling safe evacuation routes for civilians.
Rafah Evacuations Under Fire
Meanwhile, in the southern city of Rafah, the military ordered residents in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood to evacuate on foot along a designated path. Vehicles were not permitted. Local officials said thousands of families were fleeing under fire, many during the holy month of Ramadan, with nowhere safe to go.
The municipality said people were left without basic supplies or shelter, as crossings into Gaza remain sealed off by the Israeli government.
“I’m hearing constant gunfire and explosions,” said 22-year-old Riham Abu Marzouq during a phone call as she fled Rafah with nine family members. “We’re walking now,” she added, gasping for air.
Senior Hamas Official Killed
Overnight, Hamas confirmed that Salah al-Bardawil, a member of its political bureau and one of its best-known spokespersons, had been killed in an Israeli strike. His wife also died in the attack, which hit their tent in Al-Mawasi—a zone designated by Israel as a humanitarian area. Ironically, this is the same area where people from Tal al-Sultan were told to relocate.
Later that day, the IDF stated that its forces had surrounded Tal al-Sultan, eliminated several fighters, and stormed what it described as a Hamas command center. These claims could not be independently verified.
Fear and Uncertainty in Rafah
The Palestinian Civil Defense issued an urgent warning, saying over 50,000 people in Rafah faced imminent danger. One local, Huthayfah Lafi, who lives near Tal al-Sultan, said he chose not to evacuate on Sunday because “we have nowhere else to go.”
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported losing contact with four ambulances trapped in Rafah. Crew members had been injured by Israeli gunfire, they said. The Israeli military responded that it was investigating the reports but did not comment further.
Families Flee Again, Carrying Almost Nothing
Mohammed Abu Taha, 42, said his sister Sanaa had only recently returned to her home in Rafah. At dawn on Sunday, tanks approached without warning. She called him while fleeing on foot to Khan Younis, where he himself was already seeking shelter.
“They were allowed to take just one small bag,” he recounted.
Hospital Strike Sparks Outrage
Late Sunday, Israel said it had targeted a “key terrorist” who was allegedly operating from inside the Nasser Hospital complex in southern Gaza. Though the military didn’t name the individual, it claimed to use precise munitions to avoid civilian casualties.
But Gaza’s health authorities gave a very different account. They said the surgical department of the hospital, which was full of patients, was struck directly. A massive fire broke out. Two people died, including a 16-year-old found in the rubble. Medical staff and other patients were also injured. The attack forced the evacuation of part of the hospital and left much of the department in ruins.
Hamas confirmed that Ismail Barhoum, another member of its political bureau, was killed during treatment at the medical complex. The group condemned the bombing “in the strongest terms.”
Israel’s Strategy: Pressure and Isolation
The Israeli government says its renewed offensive and blockade of humanitarian aid are both intended to pressure Hamas. The ultimate goal is to secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, and to dismantle Hamas’s ability to govern and wage war.
These hostages were taken during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023—an event that ignited the current war. So far, Hamas has refused to release large numbers of them unless Israel agrees to end the war for good. But Israel insists that the conflict won’t end unless Hamas gives up its weapons and relinquishes power.
Growing Israeli Doubts About the War
While there was broad support for military action immediately after the October 2023 attacks, the renewed campaign has divided public opinion in Israel. Many citizens are now deeply concerned about the fate of the roughly 24 hostages believed to still be alive.
Frustration is mounting. Israelis are beginning to question whether this extended war can deliver results that the initial 15 months of fighting could not. The sense of unity is cracking—replaced by growing doubt, grief, and urgency for answers.
