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Palestinians fleeing the Israeli ground offensive in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, have shared devastating accounts of the situation. Witnesses described streets strewn with bodies, forced evacuations under dire conditions, and parents leaving children behind in the chaos.

Saleh, a survivor who sought refuge at Abu Hussein Primary School, recounted enduring a 16-day siege. He said Israeli forces issued evacuation orders via quadcopters, directing people to move south or west of Gaza. "We heard bombings near us and feared for our lives," he said. Tragically, many like his immobile grandmother were left behind.

Mohammed al-Danani, another evacuee, described the scene as he left: "The bodies of martyrs were on the streets." Engy Abdel Aal shared how panic led to families being separated, with children inadvertently abandoned during the hurried evacuations.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has called for an immediate truce to facilitate the safe passage of civilians and aid. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency's head, painted a grim picture: "The smell of death is everywhere as bodies lie on the roads or under rubble. People feel deserted, hopeless, and alone."

The Indonesian hospital, one of the last functioning medical facilities near Jabalia, reported critical shortages of supplies, personnel, and power. Patients requiring oxygen are at risk due to outages, and gunfire outside the hospital gates has created a climate of fear.
Since October 6, Israel has intensified operations in Jabalia, claiming it is targeting Hamas fighters who regrouped there. Israeli forces reported killing Hamas and Palestinians while continuing to arrest others. Evacuated civilians were seen walking through war-torn streets, captured in military-released footage.

Over hundreds have reportedly died in the Jabalia offensive, with tens of thousands displaced. This comes amid widespread destruction, as rescue workers reported retrieving the bodies of children and families from the rubble after Israeli airstrikes.
The offensive is part of Israel's response to Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, over 45,000 people have been killed since then.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel to urge renewed diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire and hostage release deal. After meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken emphasized the need to sustain humanitarian aid flows into Gaza.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been denied access to rescue civilians trapped under rubble or deliver crucial aid to hospitals.

Despite these efforts, UNRWA staff in northern Gaza report that they cannot find food, water, or medical care. The crisis continues to deepen as calls for international intervention grow louder.

The situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Civilians are caught in the crossfire, with no safe refuge in sight. As the humanitarian toll escalates, the world watches with growing concern, hoping for a resolution to the unrelenting violence.

Source : BBC