Israel Orders Evacuation of Beit Hanoun Amid Intensifying Conflict in Gaza

 

The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for all remaining residents of Beit Hanoun, located in northern Gaza, as part of its ongoing military campaign. The move comes amid escalating violence that has seen significant destruction in the region, including reports of damage to two more hospitals in Gaza City.

The forced evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia last Friday has left northern Gaza with only one functioning medical facility, al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the situation as dire, with limited resources to care for the displaced population. Following the evacuation orders, thousands of residents have been forced to relocate to southern Gaza, where conditions remain harsh due to freezing winter weather and inadequate shelter.

Israeli forces have been accused of targeting medical infrastructure, a charge the Israeli military denies, claiming that Hamas has been using such facilities for operational purposes. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported interrogating nearly 950 people during the raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, identifying 240 as militants. However, human rights organizations and local medics have condemned the tactics used, including alleged mistreatment of medical staff.

The conflict, now 15 months old, has claimed over 45,300 lives and caused a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale in Gaza. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service has reported losing communication with many residents trapped in northern Gaza due to Israeli ground operations.

Meanwhile, strikes across Gaza killed at least 23 people on Sunday, including seven in a direct hit on Gaza City’s al-Wafa Hospital. Another facility, al-Ahli Hospital, sustained severe damage from tank fire. Both hospitals were already struggling under immense pressure, with limited supplies and overwhelming patient loads.

Central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah has seen a tragic rise in infant deaths due to hypothermia as thousands live in makeshift shelters with little access to heat or supplies. Jomaa al-Batran, a 20-day-old baby, is the latest casualty, his twin brother now fighting for survival in an overwhelmed hospital.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza has drawn widespread criticism from international organizations, with accusations of deliberately restricting aid and resources to the region. Israel defends its actions as necessary to counter Hamas but faces increasing scrutiny over the humanitarian toll.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recovers from a medical procedure, his administration confronts mounting pressure on multiple fronts, including conflicts in neighboring regions and ongoing corruption charges. The escalating crisis continues to fuel calls for an urgent resolution to the violence.

The situation in Gaza remains precarious, with no clear end in sight to the conflict or the humanitarian suffering it has caused.