Palestinians in northern Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment on Saturday, following airstrikes that killed at least 22 people. Israel continued urging people in northern Gaza and southern Lebanon to evacuate as it intensified its offensives against the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
In Lebanon, a UN peacekeeping force confirmed that its headquarters in Naqoura was hit again, with a peacekeeper injured by gunfire late on Friday. The peacekeeper is in stable condition, though it remains unclear who fired the shot. The incident occurred a day after Israeli forces targeted the headquarters for the second consecutive day. Israel, which had warned peacekeepers to vacate the area, did not respond to questions regarding the incident.
Naqoura, located in southern Lebanon, has been the center of Israel’s recent military campaign against Hezbollah, involving waves of airstrikes.
Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, 22 people were killed by Israeli strikes on the city of Jabalya, according to emergency responders. Israel’s military has issued new evacuation orders to residents of northern Gaza, warning of an imminent military operation in what it described as a “dangerous combat zone.”
These warnings come after previous evacuation orders earlier in the week, with Israel’s military planning to operate “with great force” in areas like Jabalya and Nazla for an extended period, according to military spokesperson Avichay Adraee. Residents were told to move south to a so-called “humanitarian zone.”
This designated zone in Al Mawasi, already overcrowded with refugees, has been repeatedly struck by Israeli airstrikes, one of which killed at least 19 people in September. Flyers were dropped on Saturday morning, urging residents to evacuate immediately.
On Friday, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that thousands of people in northern Gaza were unable to leave due to ongoing gunfire and strikes near evacuation routes, despite military orders.
Palestinians fleeing under Monday’s evacuation order in northern Gaza were reportedly shot at, according to residents and footage shared with CNN.
The UN estimated that as of July, about 90% of Gaza’s population had been internally displaced, often multiple times, due to recurring evacuation orders.
Israel is currently engaged in conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. While the breakdown of combatants versus civilians is unclear, it is reported that more than half of the casualties are women and children. Large parts of Gaza have been devastated, displacing most of its 2.3 million residents.
This escalation comes one year after Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s security fence, attacking army bases and communities, resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths—mostly civilians—and the abduction of 250 people. Approximately 100 captives remain held in Gaza, with a third believed to be deceased.