Israel Restricts Access to Two-Thirds of Gaza Amid Renewed Strikes and Mass Displacement
Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, now restricting Palestinians’ access to approximately two-thirds of the territory, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). These restrictions include large areas declared as no-go zones and the issuance of new displacement orders.
Renewed Strikes and Displacement
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On March 23, smoke billowed over Gaza City following Israeli strikes on a makeshift displacement camp.
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A new displacement order was issued in southern Rafah on March 31, as Israel announced plans to return and “fight with great force.”
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Israeli ground forces launched an offensive in Gaza City on April 4, expanding what the military calls a “security zone.”
Humanitarian Crisis
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Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many already displaced multiple times, are being forced to flee once again.
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Gaza residents report dire conditions. “We are being forced to leave and we don’t even know where to go,” said Mahmoud al-Gharabli, one of the many displaced.
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Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City is overwhelmed. “The situation is nothing short of apocalyptic,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud.
Intensified Military Pressure
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to increase pressure on Hamas, saying, “We are now dividing the Strip… so they will give us our hostages.”
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Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 30 people since dawn on Friday, following 112 fatalities on Thursday, many of them women and children.
Ceasefire Collapse and Political Standoff
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Israel resumed its military operations on March 18 after a two-month ceasefire collapsed.
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Netanyahu seeks the release of 59 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and aid—without ending the war or withdrawing troops.
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Hamas insists on a permanent ceasefire and a return to a previously agreed three-stage framework, offering to release all hostages in return.
Casualties and Impact
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Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has killed 50,523 Palestinians and wounded 114,638.
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On the Israeli side, 1,139 people were killed in Hamas-led attacks on October 7, and more than 200 were taken captive.
The situation in Gaza has reached a critical humanitarian tipping point. With Israel expanding military operations and restricting movement across vast portions of the territory, mass displacement continues to mount. As calls for a permanent ceasefire grow louder, both sides remain entrenched in opposing demands, prolonging a devastating conflict that has left tens of thousands dead and the region teetering on collapse.
