Gaza Faces Escalating Airstrikes as Civilians Struggle to Escape

Intense Israeli airstrikes have hit Gaza City overnight, with unconfirmed reports suggesting a possible ground offensive, while central Gaza also faces heavy bombardment. Thousands of residents are fleeing south, but many remain trapped amid destroyed buildings and rubble, according to BBC reports.

Local journalists report almost constant shelling, with homes destroyed and civilians struggling to find safe shelter. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) estimate around 250,000 Palestinians have moved south, though hundreds of thousands remain in danger.

The escalation follows US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Jerusalem, where he assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of full US support. Rubio later travelled to Qatar, highlighting the country’s mediation role and stressing a “very short window” for a negotiated settlement. He added that Hamas must cease to exist as an armed group for peace efforts to succeed.

Hostage families in Israel remain concerned, with about 48 hostages reportedly still in Gaza. Arab and Islamic leaders in Qatar condemned Israel’s offensive and last week’s attack in Doha targeting Hamas leaders.

The conflict began after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed roughly 1,200 people and left 251 hostages. Since then, more than 64,500 people have died in Israeli strikes, nearly half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.

UN-backed agencies have declared famine in Gaza and warned that continued military action could deepen the humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands displaced and in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical care.