Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are fleeing their homes in the Gaza Strip as Israel intensified its military offensive against Hamas militants in the area. The Israeli military has launched a series of air strikes and ground operations, targeting what it claims are militant targets, including rocket launch sites.
The latest escalation in the conflict began on May 10, when Hamas fighters fired rockets at Jerusalem in response to calls by Palestinian protesters to defend the sacred mosque compound in East Jerusalem against Israeli security forces. In the days following the rocket fire, the Israeli military launched a series of airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of at least 212 people, including 61 children, and injuring more than 1250 people, including 350 children, according to the United Nations.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with food and fuel running low, and hospitals struggling to care for the wounded. The United Nations is warning of a humanitarian crisis and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for a ceasefire so that aid workers can safely enter the area and provide assistance.
The violence has sparked international condemnation and calls for an immediate end to the conflict. Despite this, the Israeli government has said that it will continue its operations in the Gaza Strip until its security is assured.
Many families have been forced to flee their homes, leaving everything behind as they try to find safety. So far, over 109,000 people have been displaced from 113 villages and communities in the Gaza Strip according to the United Nations. Schools, mosques and homes have been destroyed or damaged, leaving nothing but rubble in their wake.
The long-term consequences of this conflict remain to be seen, but the UN has warned that the Gaza Strip is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis and only an immediate ceasefire and the provision of aid can avert disaster. Even after the conflict ends, the prospects for many Palestinians remain bleak. For now, thousands are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
