Gaza City — Israeli forces bombed a residential building in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City early Monday, killing at least five Palestinians and wounding several others, according to civil defense teams operating on the ground. The densely populated camp, already sheltering thousands of displaced families, was struck without warning as Israeli operations intensified across northern Gaza.
In the nearby Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City, Israeli air raids targeted areas near a mosque, triggering additional casualties and widespread destruction. Local witnesses reported frantic rescue operations amid smoldering rubble, with many trapped under collapsed buildings.
The latest bombardments are part of a broader campaign that has killed at least 78 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. As attacks escalate, Israeli military officials issued evacuation orders for at least 16 areas in the north, including central districts such as Jabalia and Gaza City, instructing civilians to flee south to the al-Mawasi region.
The directive, described by an Israeli military spokesperson as “urgent,” warned residents that failure to evacuate would expose them to immediate danger. However, rights groups and local officials have repeatedly contested the safety of al-Mawasi, which has itself been hit by airstrikes throughout the war.
According to Tasnim News, the strike on Shati camp follows a pattern of targeting high-density civilian zones, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian situation.
Aid agencies: Gaza humanitarian system is collapsing
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned on Monday that humanitarian operations are on the brink of total collapse. Due to the ongoing Israeli blockade, critical fuel supplies have been cut off, halting the functioning of hospitals, ambulances, and water purification systems.
According to UNFA, That Dr. Luay Shabaneh, regional director for Arab States, said the aid system is “no longer functional under current conditions.” Without immediate international intervention, he warned, “thousands more civilians, particularly women, children, and the elderly, are at risk of dying from untreated injuries, malnutrition, or preventable diseases.”
Israel’s siege has already disrupted supply chains into Gaza for over eight months. Relief convoys are regularly delayed or turned away, and medical equipment remains blocked at crossing points. Al-Mawasi, the area now designated a “safe zone” by Israel, lacks sufficient infrastructure to support the hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people.
Reports from aid workers confirm that families in al-Mawasi are living without clean water, food, or medicine. Despite Israel’s classification of the area as secure, it has been struck multiple times during this campaign, undermining its status as a sanctuary.
Death toll reaches catastrophic proportions
Gaza’s Health Ministry stated that the Israeli assault has so far killed 58,386 Palestinians and injured 139,077 since the war began. These figures include thousands of women and children, with many fatalities resulting from aerial attacks on residential buildings, shelters, and even hospitals.
The continuous targeting of civilian infrastructure has rendered Gaza uninhabitable. Medical professionals warn that casualty numbers could be significantly underreported due to inaccessible areas and communication blackouts in the north.
No place left to flee
Despite continued evacuation orders, Palestinians across the Gaza Strip say there is no safe zone left. Entire families have moved multiple times, from Rafah to Khan Younis to Gaza City, only to be displaced again by advancing Israeli airstrikes.
Civilian shelters, hospitals, and refugee camps have all been targeted in recent weeks. Al-Mawasi, designated by Israel as a safe zone, has also been repeatedly struck, raising concerns among humanitarian organizations about the credibility of evacuation routes.
The United States has continued to provide military aid and diplomatic support to Israel, while several European governments have endorsed the ongoing offensive as part of Israel’s “right to self-defense.” Meanwhile, international legal experts are examining whether the mass forced displacements and targeting of civilian infrastructure constitute war crimes under international law.
