No safe place for Palestinians in Gaza as Israel widens offensive

People stand over the shrouded bodies of loved ones killed during an Israeli bombardment at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. [Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu]

As the Israeli military pounded central and southern Gaza by land, sea and air, Palestinian authorities reported scores of casualties and the United Nations health agency said thousands of people were trying to flee the widening offensive.

Residents in the central Gaza Strip said that with nightfall, Israeli tank shelling intensified on Wednesday east of the already overcrowded Bureij, Maghazi and Nuseirat refugee camps where tanks have been trying to force their way through.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that additional reinforcements have been sent into the southern part of the Palestinian territory on the outskirts of Khan Younis.

Israeli forces were pressing on with their operations in the northern part of the enclave, leaving hundreds of thousands of fleeing Palestinians with no safe place left to shelter.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said its staff had seen thousands of people fleeing heavy strikes in Khan Younis on foot, on donkeys or in cars. Makeshift shelters were being built along the road.

“WHO is extremely concerned this fresh displacement of people will further strain health facilities in the south, which are already struggling to meet the population’s immense needs,” said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territories.

“This forced mass movement of people will also lead to more overcrowding, increased risk of infectious diseases and make it even harder to deliver humanitarian aid.”

Palestinians mourn over the bodies of their relatives killed in Israeli attacks in Khan Younis. [Belal Khaled/Anadolu]

A Palestinian child cries as bodies of those killed in the attacks were brought to the morgue of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. [Belal Khaled/Anadolu]

Injured Palestinians, including children, are brought to Nasser hospital for treatment as Israeli attacks continue in Khan Younis. [Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu]

A Palestinian child injured in an Israeli strike receives treatment at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. [Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu]

Injured Palestinians, including children, are treated at Nasser hospital as Israeli attacks continue in Khan Younis. [Jehad Alshrafi/ Anadolu]

A view of some of the destruction after an Israeli air strike hit a UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) school in the Maghazi refugee camp. [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]

Palestinians gather their belongings and flee the area after Israeli air strikes hit the UNRWA school in Maghazi. [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency]

A stream of people, on foot or riding donkey carts laden with their belongings, leaves Khan Younis and moves towards the southern city of Rafah after Israeli forces ordered them to evacuate. [Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu]

Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes in the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps after the Israeli army warned them to immediately vacate the areas. [Mohammed Dahman/AP Photo]

A general view shows Palestinian residents in their makeshift tents after leaving their homes in the Bureij refugee camp in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza. [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu]

Expanding Israeli attacks are pushing most of the population into Deir el-Balah and Rafah as well as a tiny rural area by the enclave's southern coastline. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]

With UN shelters packed to capacity, many displaced Palestinians set up camp on pavements. [Hatem Ali/AP Photo]