Israel has bombed hundreds of targets in Gaza today, Monday, and its soldiers have also clashed with Hamas militants in a limited ground incursion into the besieged Palestinian territory amid rising death tolls and a humanitarian crisis for civilians. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 436 people have died in Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours, most of them in the southern, densely populated area of the strip.
The Israeli military stated that in the past 24 hours, it has struck over 320 targets in Gaza, including a tunnel housing Hamas fighters, dozens of command and control centers, and sites for launching mortar and anti-tank missiles. With 2.3 million people trapped in the region and a lack of essential supplies, European Union leaders appear ready to call for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.
Israel is amassing troops and tanks along the border between Israel and Gaza, but it is unclear when a ground invasion aimed at eliminating Hamas might take place. The scope of the conflict has expanded beyond Gaza, with Israeli aircraft striking areas in southern Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah, clashes occurring between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas launching more rockets into Israel.
The United Nations has reported that civilians are lacking food, water, medicine, and shelter from continuous shelling that has devastated vast areas of the Hamas-controlled territory. Some aid has crossed through a border crossing into Gaza but constitutes only a fraction of the needs. The Health Ministry in the territory stated that at least 5,087 Palestinians have been killed, including 2,055 children.
The Israeli bombardment was a response to a cross-border attack on October 7, during which Hamas militants targeted Israeli population centers, killing 1,400 people and taking more than 200 hostages in the deadliest single day since the founding of the State of Israel 75 years ago.
Both Israel and Hamas have announced that fighting continued overnight in Gaza. Israel stated that its ground forces had carried out limited incursions to confront Palestinian militants, and airstrikes concentrated on Hamas gathering sites in preparation for any broader Israeli incursion.
In a televised press conference, Israeli military spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari said, "These incursions are attacks killing teams of terrorists preparing for our next phase in the war," describing the operations as having entered "deep" into Gaza. He added that the incursions aimed to gather intelligence on 222 individuals confirmed to be held captive by the group.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced Sunday that its fighters "ambushed an Israeli force east of Khan Younis after crossing the separation fence by several meters, engaging with the force, destroying two bulldozers and a tank, and forcing the force to withdraw." Israel has not commented on the incident.
On Monday, the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the launch of rockets at two southern Israeli towns, triggering sirens on the Israeli side.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that about 1.4 million residents of Gaza, over half of the strip's population, have now been displaced, with many seeking refuge in overcrowded UN emergency shelters. Israel has ordered residents in northern Gaza to evacuate, but the humanitarian office stated that evidence shows hundreds, possibly thousands, of people who fled are now returning to the northern part due to Israeli bombings in southern areas and a lack of shelter.
Dima Al-Limdani (18) shared that she lost her parents, seven siblings, and four other relatives in an airstrike after her family moved to the south.
The Israeli military announced that its jets bombed two Hezbollah cells in Lebanon early on Monday that were planning to launch anti-tank rockets toward Israel. The army also reported hitting other Hezbollah targets, including a compound and a surveillance post.
In the West Bank, Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Monday that two Palestinians were killed in the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah. Local residents told Reuters that Israeli forces raided the camp and carried out a wide arrest campaign, which included clashes with militants and confrontations with youths throwing stones. The Israeli army confirmed that it had arrested 15 suspects, ten of whom were members of Hamas. The statement from the army added, "The suspects threw explosives and stones from rooftops at Israeli security forces, who responded with live ammunition."
A third convoy of aid crossed through the Rafah crossing from Egypt on Monday, adding to the 34 trucks that entered in the previous two days. The UN stated that the aid that has entered so far amounts to about four percent of the daily average that arrived in the enclave before the fighting commenced.
In Brussels, EU leaders are expected to call for a "humanitarian ceasefire" at a meeting later this week to allow safe delivery of aid, according to a draft seen by Reuters. They expressed support for a similar call from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who visited the Rafah crossing last week. Arab nations have also called for a ceasefire.
EU officials indicated that the text may change before the summit, and some countries have expressed reservations about calling for a ceasefire as it could be seen as limiting Israel's right to self-defense.
### Medical Urgency
Doctors at a neonatal intensive care unit in besieged Gaza are urgently trying to secure fuel and essential medications for their tiny patients, who may die within minutes if electricity is cut to their incubators. Dr. Nasser Balbal at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City called for the necessary medical supplies for this vital department, warning of a potential major disaster.
He stated that if the electricity goes out in the unit currently housing 55 babies, all those relying on electricity for survival would die within five minutes. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry, indicated that 130 newborns are in electrical incubators throughout the enclave. He added that fuel is nearing depletion in hospital generators, particularly at Shifa, the largest of 13 general hospitals in Gaza.
Al-Qudra noted that the hospital has had to limit fuel use strictly to life-saving essential services, including incubators, but it is unclear how long this situation can be sustained. He appealed to all nations worldwide for assistance in providing fuel, stating that the ministry has requested public and private fuel stations in the territory to donate whatever they can to help save lives in hospitals.
