Godsent Ogbebor
Israeli Strikes Kill 11 in Gaza as Families Flee South
Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed at least 11 Palestinians on Monday, deepening the humanitarian crisis as thousands of displaced families continued their desperate journey south in search of safety.
Medical officials said seven people were killed in Gaza City, while four others died in separate attacks in central Gaza, including a strike on a tent sheltering displaced residents near Nuseirat. Emergency workers also reported casualties after a drone attack on the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood.
The violence has forced a mass movement of civilians along Gaza’s coastal road. Families packed cars, trucks and donkey carts with belongings, often breaking down on the roadside or sleeping in the open, witnesses said. Many are fleeing bombardments with little hope of finding secure shelter or basic humanitarian support in the south.
Read also: Israeli Claims Gaza Airstrike Targeted Militants Disguised as Aid Workers
The crisis has also spilled across borders. In Lebanon, anger mounted after an Israeli strike killed five people, including three children, in the southern town of Bint Jbeil. Lebanese leaders condemned the attack as a crime against civilians and a violation of the truce reached with Hezbollah last year.
The latest escalation comes as international momentum builds for Palestinian statehood. Australia, Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom formally recognised Palestine ahead of the UN General Assembly this week, a move welcomed by Palestinian leaders but dismissed by Israel.
Despite growing calls for a two-state solution, the fighting shows no sign of abating. Residents in Gaza say survival is now their only concern. “Moving south doesn’t mean we’ll be safe,” one displaced father told reporters. “But we have no choice.”
