Israeli airstrikes intensify in Gaza, triggering mass displacement in northern regions

On November 7, Israeli forces intensified airstrikes across the Gaza Strip and issued further evacuation orders, prompting a new wave of displacement from northern Gaza, with Palestinians in these areas fearing they will not be able to return to their homes.

As Israeli tanks advanced into Beit Lahiya, part of a larger offensive in northern Gaza, numerous families fled, arriving at schools and other shelters in Gaza City with only the bare necessities, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Drones flew overhead, broadcasting evacuation orders, which were also shared via social media and through audio and text messages sent to residents' phones, according to one displaced individual.

"After they displaced most, if not all, of the people in Jabalia, now they’re bombing everywhere, killing people on the roads and inside their homes to force everyone out," said Ahmed, a displaced man who spoke to Reuters through a messaging app, fearing repercussions if he revealed his full identity.

Palestinian officials have accused Israel of carrying out a policy of "ethnic cleansing," with residents and aid groups claiming that no aid has reached Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, or Beit Hanoun since the escalation began on October 5.

The Israeli military has defended its actions, stating that it was forced to evacuate Jabalia and begin evacuations in Beit Lahiya on November 6 to combat Hamas militants, who it claims have regrouped in the area. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) also denied reports that displaced people from northern Gaza would not be allowed to return, insisting that aid is still entering the region and that it is engaged in "intense combat" in Jabalia.

The IDF added, "The statement attributed to the IDF in the past 24 hours, claiming that residents of northern Gaza will not be allowed to return to their homes, is incorrect and does not reflect the IDF’s objectives and values."

Meanwhile, Palestinian medics reported that Israeli fire had killed six people in Jabalia, four in Beit Lahiya, and seven in Rafah, near the border with Egypt in southern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed its forces had killed around 50 militants in the past 24 hours and were facilitating the evacuation of Palestinians from combat zones.

Both Palestinian and UN officials have stated that there are no safe zones within Gaza, as most of its 2.3 million inhabitants have been displaced by the conflict.

The year-long ground campaign by Israel, aimed at eliminating the Islamist Hamas movement, has left much of Gaza in ruins and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

"With Trump back, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu will become more brutal," said Ahmed, referring to the potential return of former US President Donald Trump, who is seen by many as a staunch ally of Israel.

Palestinian health authorities have reported over 43,300 deaths in Gaza since the conflict began. The war erupted following Hamas-led militant attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza, according to Israeli figures.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man during a raid in Tulkarm, while a drone attack injured five people, including a mother and her son, who has Down's syndrome.

Violence has escalated across the West Bank since the start of the conflict, with hundreds of Palestinians – including armed fighters, stone-throwing youths, and bystanders – killed in clashes with Israeli forces. Dozens of Israelis have also died in Palestinian street attacks during the past year.

The Palestinian health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death toll counts, has reported 775 fatalities in the West Bank, including 167 children.

By Aghakazim Guliyev