Report: Israel escalates assaults on Gaza City, driving starving Palestinians to flee
UN warns of looming man-made famine in Gaza as starvation deaths climb and Israel advances its campaign to forcibly depopulate northern Gaza
Israel has intensified its assault on Gaza City in a push to capture the enclave’s last major population hub, forcing tens of thousands of starving Palestinians to flee once more.
Neighbourhoods including Zeitoun, Sabra, Remal and Tuffah have borne the heaviest bombardments in recent days. A spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that Israel’s plan to forcibly displace residents to southern Gaza would only deepen their suffering.
Thousands of families have fled Gaza City’s Zeitoun district after days of relentless bombardment left the neighbourhood in ruins. On Sunday, an Israeli air strike hit al-Ahli Arab Hospital, killing at least seven people.
The Israeli military announced it would provide tents and shelter equipment for Palestinians displaced multiple times during 22 months of war—an act rights groups have described as part of an unfolding genocide.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said heavy artillery and air raids had forced more families to leave their homes:
“Zeitoun is densely populated, with many displaced families seeking refuge there. Residents were stunned when the shelling began. Some stayed, but as the violence escalated, most fled—hungry, devastated, and displaced yet again.”
Israel has declared plans to push deeper into Gaza City and drive residents south—a move widely condemned internationally. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, insisted civilians would be moved to “safe zones”, though those areas have also been repeatedly bombed.
Nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.4 million people are now displaced. Starvation deaths continue to rise—seven more in 24 hours, including children—bringing the toll to at least 258, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
On Sunday alone, Israeli attacks killed at least 57 Palestinians, 38 of them aid seekers, raising the total death toll since October 2023 to nearly 62,000. Hamas denounced Israel’s tent plan as a cover for “a new wave of genocide and mass displacement.”
Inside Gaza, despair is mounting. Al Jazeera’s Maram Humaid wrote on X that WhatsApp groups were filled with “silent screams and sorrow” as families braced for another forced exodus.
Hunger is now overwhelming the enclave. With one in five children malnourished, tens of thousands depend on charity kitchens for a single daily meal.
“My children are starving on small amounts of lentils or rice. They haven’t had bread in days,” said Zeinab Nabahan, displaced from Jabalia camp. Another resident, Tayseer Naim, said: “Had it not been for God and charity kitchens, we would not survive.”
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned Gaza is on the brink of a “man-made famine”, urging a return to a UN-led food distribution system. Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s communications director, said attempts by Israel and the US to impose alternative aid mechanisms were bringing “chaos and death”.
The World Food Programme estimates that 500,000 people are on the edge of famine, with current aid covering less than half of what is needed. Officials stress only a ceasefire will allow food delivery at scale.
Gaza’s Government Media Office accused Israel of deliberately starving civilians by blocking essential goods—including baby formula, nutritional supplements, dairy, and meat—calling it a “systematic policy of engineered starvation and genocide.”
At least 40,000 infants now face severe malnutrition, while more than 100,000 other children and patients are at similar risk. Aid groups warn the humanitarian system is collapsing.
“We are trying to provide meals, medical care and education, but Israel is bombing aid facilities and cutting supplies,” said Amjad Shawa of the Palestinian NGOs Network. “There are 1.1 million people here—mostly women, children, elderly, and people with disabilities. The humanitarian system is falling apart.”
