Israel has launched its first coordinated ground and air assault on the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, significantly escalating its ongoing military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.
The city had previously been spared the kind of intense ground operations seen in northern and southern Gaza but is now at the centre of a new and potentially devastating phase of the conflict.
In the early hours of Monday, Israeli tanks and infantry moved into southwestern Deir al-Balah from the direction of the Kisufim crossing, following an evacuation order that targeted six neighbourhoods: Abu al-‘Ajin, al-Hakar, al-Mughraqa, Hikr al-Jami’, Juhur al-Dik and surrounding areas.
The Israeli Defense Force also launched heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling, causing panic among civilians and prompting a mass exodus toward already overwhelmed shelters in the south.
Deir al-Balah, a densely packed city once home to around 75,000 people, had become a refuge for tens of thousands more who fled earlier Israeli operations in Rafah and Khan Younis.
With functioning hospitals, limited access to food and water, and active humanitarian operations, it had been seen as one of the last somewhat stable areas in Gaza. Now, that fragile balance is on the brink of collapse.
Humanitarian agencies are warning that the new offensive could devastate vital infrastructure. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, described the evacuation order as a “critical threat” to relief operations.
“Deir al-Balah hosts warehouses, medical centres, and water facilities that support the entire central Gaza population,” an OCHA spokesperson said. “Their destruction or inaccessibility could lead to catastrophic consequences.”
While the IDF has not officially confirmed the reasons behind the sudden assault on Deir al-Balah, it is widely believed that the area may be linked to the locations of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.
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Previously, Israel had avoided large-scale incursions into the city, possibly due to the risk of harming those hostages. T
he current shift in military strategy has sparked concern among hostage families and rights groups alike.
“The military must prioritise the lives of all innocent civilians, including our loved ones who are still in Gaza,” said Ilana Regev, whose son has been missing since the Hamas-led attack in October 2023.
Inside Deir al-Balah, the situation is worsening by the hour. At al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the few facilities still operating, staff are reportedly treating a growing number of patients suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.
Dr. Khalil al-Daqran, the hospital’s spokesperson, confirmed that at least 19 people—many of them children—died of starvation in just one day.
“We are seeing the collapse of the humanitarian system in real time,” al-Daqran said. “We have no milk for infants, no intravenous nutrition for patients, and our medical supplies are almost exhausted.”
According to the World Food Programme, food insecurity in Gaza has reached “famine-like” levels. In May alone, more than 5,000 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition.
Meanwhile, the price of staple goods has become prohibitive; in some areas, a kilogram of flour now costs over $80.
Civilians trying to escape the bombing face further challenges. With fuel and vehicles scarce, many are fleeing on foot or using donkey carts and bicycles.
Satellite images and eyewitness footage show long lines of families heading toward al-Mawasi, a narrow coastal strip near Khan Younis designated by Israel as a “humanitarian zone.” But overcrowding and a lack of services there have rendered it barely habitable.
“I’ve already moved six times,” said Mohammad Emad al-Din, a barber who was living in Deir al-Balah with his wife and three children. “We’re hungry, tired, and terrified. There’s nowhere left to go.”
As Israeli forces continue to carve new access corridors through Gaza, analysts suggest that this push through Deir al-Balah could become a third major operational axis, alongside the existing Netzarim and Morag corridors.
This would effectively allow Israeli troops to control Gaza from the north, south, and now central regions—potentially fragmenting the territory beyond recognition.
So far, the IDF has not commented on the long-term goals of the Deir al-Balah operation. Meanwhile, international media, including the BBC and Al Jazeera, remain restricted from accessing Gaza freely, relying instead on reports from local journalists and aid agencies on the ground.
With no ceasefire in sight and diplomatic efforts stalled, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza appears to be entering its most dangerous phase yet.
Aid workers warn that without immediate international intervention, the city of Deir al-Balah could become the next epicentre of famine, displacement, and suffering in a war that has already killed over 37,000 people.
BBC
