In the besieged Gaza Strip, Palestinian residents sought refuge in hospitals and schools as they faced severe shortages of food and water. As the Israeli-Hamas conflict continued, over a million people had already fled their homes in anticipation of an Israeli ground invasion aimed at eradicating Hamas, whose fighters had caused destruction in southern Israel.
The dwindling supplies of food, water, and medicine in Gaza heightened concerns. All eyes turned to the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, where aid trucks had been waiting for days. Mediators were working towards a cease-fire that would allow the aid to enter Gaza and enable foreigners to leave. The crossing, which is Gaza's sole connection to Egypt, had been closed for nearly a week due to Israeli airstrikes.
Egypt's Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, mentioned that Israel had not made any efforts to open the crossing from the Gaza side. The Israeli government did not provide a response.
In anticipation of a potential new front on its northern border with Lebanon, Israel was preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza. The Israeli military ordered residents of 28 Israeli communities to evacuate, as it anticipated a major campaign against Hamas.
Speaking in the Israeli Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Iran and Hezbollah, stating that they should not test Israel in the north, referring to the 2006 war with Hezbollah. He emphasized that the price Iran and Hezbollah would pay today would be much higher.
The situation in Gaza was dire, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in U.N. facilities receiving less than one liter of water per day. Hospitals were on the brink of collapse, with dwindling fuel supplies for generators and exhausted medicine stocks.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the fighting had claimed the lives of 2,750 Palestinians and left 9,700 wounded, making it the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for both sides. In Israel, over 1,400 people had died, with the majority being civilians killed in the Hamas attack.
Street-by-street fighting was expected to lead to escalating casualties on both sides, with the Israeli military aiming to clear civilians from northern Gaza ahead of a major campaign against Hamas.
Despite Israel providing safe corridors for civilians to evacuate from north to south, the situation remained precarious. Hospitals in Gaza were running out of generator fuel, and Gaza's sole power plant had shut down due to a lack of fuel, leading to shortages of medicine and critical medical supplies.
The World Health Organization expressed concern about disease outbreaks due to mass displacement, poor water, and sanitation conditions. Hospitals faced the risk of disease transmission without sufficient clean water, endangering the lives of patients. Hospitals in northern Gaza received evacuation orders, but doctors refused to comply, fearing it would result in the death of critically ill patients and newborns on ventilators.
Water shortages in Gaza, caused by Israel's decision to cut off water supplies and a lack of fuel for water pumps and desalination stations, put thousands of hospital patients at risk.
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees had to ration water in shelters, providing just one liter per day for all needs. Over a million people in Gaza had evacuated their homes in little over a week, with travel within Gaza becoming difficult and dangerous.
The situation further escalated with Israel sealing off Gaza following the Hamas attack, shutting down Gaza's sole power plant. Egypt was working towards a cease-fire that would allow aid to enter Gaza and enable foreigners to leave.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel after a tour of Arab nations to prevent the conflict from escalating. President Joe Biden considered a trip to Israel.
Israel's forces, supported by U.S. warships and the call-up of reservists, prepared for a broad campaign against Hamas. The Israeli military reported striking numerous military targets, including command centers and rocket launchers, as well as eliminating Hamas commanders.
Â
