Israeli escalation targets Khan Yunis and Gaza, UN warns of undermining ceasefire

Field sources reported that the Israeli occupation army carried out widespread demolition operations of residential buildings in areas it penetrated east of Khan Yunis city in the southern Gaza Strip. This coincided with intense artillery shelling targeting several locations in the eastern areas of Gaza City, leading to a state of panic among residents amid ongoing military movements.

For its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) affirmed that this military escalation represents a clear and unprecedented violation of the recent ceasefire understandings. The movement indicated that the occupation government is deliberately seeking to thwart any efforts aimed at stabilizing the state of calm and field stability in the Strip.

Spokesperson for the movement, Hazem Qassem, stated that last night was bloody due to warplanes directly targeting civilian homes, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 5 people. Qassem added that the occupation continues its aggression, disregarding all conventions, in an attempt to impose a new field reality that serves its political and military agenda.

Leadership of the movement accused the Israeli government of working to sabotage peace plans and proposed international initiatives, including visions put forward by the US administration. It considered that the continuation of military operations reflects the occupation's lack of seriousness in adhering to any path that leads to ending the humanitarian suffering in Gaza.

On the international level, the United Nations issued strong warnings about the serious risks threatening civilians due to the continued air raids, naval and artillery shelling. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stressed that international law guarantees the protection of civilians and infrastructure, calling for their neutralization from combat operations.

OCHA clarified in an official statement that humanitarian teams were able to provide emergency relief to thousands of affected families in recent weeks, but the need for sustainable solutions remains urgent. The statement emphasized the necessity of allowing the entry of construction materials and equipment needed to repair homes destroyed by the Israeli war machine.

Regarding psychological support, UN reports revealed that social and psychological services reached approximately 15,000 people in just one week. However, the demand for these services still far exceeds available capacities, especially given the suffocating population density within the camps and the deterioration of dilapidated tents.

In a limited positive development, UNRWA announced the reopening of the Bureij Health Center in the Deir al-Balah area, to provide primary care and maternal and child health services. This opening comes after a forced closure of the center that lasted several months, offering a glimmer of hope for patients in that area crowded with displaced people.

In turn, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric indicated that thousands of patients in Gaza face the risk of death due to a lack of vital medical equipment. He explained that Israeli authorities are placing significant obstacles to the entry of necessary X-ray machines and laboratories, which hinders the development of critical local healthcare capabilities.

Finally, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza documented a massive increase in the number of casualties, with the total reaching 72,037 martyrs and more than 171,000 injured since the start of the aggression in October 2023. These shocking figures confirm the scale of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe despite repeated announcements of ceasefire agreements.

Israeli military escalation represents a dangerous development and an unprecedented violation of the ceasefire agreement, aiming to undermine stability efforts.