Six Killed in Israeli Strikes Across Gaza as Army Issues Urgent New Evacuation Order

Six people have lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, as Israeli forces continue their relentless assault on the region. The latest round of attacks comes alongside a new evacuation order issued for residents of the Shejaia suburb in Gaza City, further escalating the already dire humanitarian crisis.

The recent attacks on Sunday have claimed lives in multiple areas of Gaza. In the central region, the attacks killed one person in Nuseirat and two others in Maghazi. In the southern Gaza town of Rafah, three individuals also lost their lives in the strikes. The violence, which has intensified in recent weeks, shows no signs of abating despite international calls for restraint.

The situation is particularly dire in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces have imposed a siege since early October, severely limiting access to essential goods and services. The Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few healthcare facilities still operating in the area, was struck in the latest airstrike. The director of the hospital, Hussam Abu Safia, was injured in the attack but expressed defiance, stating in a video shared by Gaza’s Ministry of Health that the attack would not deter their efforts to continue providing medical care. “We are being targeted daily. They targeted me a while ago, but this will not stop us from completing our humanitarian mission,” Abu Safia declared, despite suffering injuries to his back and thigh from the blast. He was later reported to be in stable condition.

The attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital is not an isolated incident. Healthcare workers in northern Gaza have been working under extreme conditions as they try to provide care amidst relentless bombings. Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary, reporting from Deir el-Balah, emphasized that the lack of emergency medical teams, ambulances, and paramedics has compounded the suffering of Gaza’s residents. “Even if you get the chance to be rescued, there are no teams to help or save your life,” Khoudary explained, noting that Gaza’s healthcare system is increasingly unable to cope with the overwhelming number of casualties.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that, as of Sunday, over 44,211 people have been killed in the ongoing Israeli attacks, with more than 104,000 others wounded. The death toll continues to rise as the violence shows no signs of slowing down, and Gaza’s hospitals and medical teams remain overwhelmed with casualties.

In a further escalation of the situation, Israeli authorities issued a new evacuation order for the residents of Shejaia, an eastern suburb of Gaza City. The order, issued on Sunday, urged people to immediately move south for their safety. “For your safety, you must evacuate immediately to the south,” Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on social media. This latest evacuation order follows a claim by Hamas that it launched a rocket attack on an Israeli army base over the border on Saturday. The footage shared by the Israeli army showed residents of Shejaia leaving the area, many using donkey carts and rickshaws to carry their belongings as they moved southward.

This is not the first time Israel has issued evacuation orders for Palestinians. Since the war began over a year ago, Israeli forces have repeatedly issued such orders, forcing thousands of residents to flee from areas that were previously designated as “safe zones.” These orders, while intended to protect Israeli civilians from rocket attacks, have been widely criticized by human rights organizations, who argue that they amount to forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes.

The evacuation orders are part of Israel’s broader military strategy to clear areas it believes are being used by Hamas fighters and to create a buffer zone. However, many Palestinians and human rights groups view these evacuations as part of an ongoing effort to permanently displace Gaza’s population, effectively rendering them homeless within their own land.

As the conflict continues, the humanitarian situation in Gaza grows increasingly critical. Civilians have borne the brunt of the violence, with many losing their homes and loved ones. The international community has called for a ceasefire, urging both Israel and Hamas to halt the fighting to allow for humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza. However, with each passing day, the violence escalates, and the prospects for peace seem more remote.

As Israel’s military campaign continues, the future of Gaza remains uncertain. The people of Gaza are facing not only the immediate dangers of airstrikes and bombings but also the longer-term consequences of displacement, loss of life, and the destruction of vital infrastructure.