Israel sends tanks into Gaza's Deir Al-Balah, raising fears for hostages
Israeli tanks rolled into the southern and eastern districts of Deir Al-Balah in Gaza for the first time on Monday, intensifying military operations in an area believed to be holding some of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas.
According to Gaza health officials, at least three Palestinians were killed and several others wounded after tank shelling struck eight homes and three mosques. The escalation came a day after Israeli forces ordered residents to evacuate, warning of imminent clashes with Hamas militants, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The offensive forced dozens of families to flee toward the coastal zone of Deir Al-Balah and neighboring Khan Younis. In Khan Younis, medics reported that an Israeli airstrike killed at least five people earlier on Monday, including a couple and their two children in a tent.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the reported strikes but confirmed ongoing operations in Deir Al-Balah aimed at “destroying terrorist infrastructure.” Israeli sources said the area had previously been avoided due to concerns that Hamas was holding hostages there. Of the 50 remaining captives in Gaza, at least 20 are believed to be alive.
Families of hostages have voiced alarm, demanding assurances from the army about their safety.
The surge in fighting coincides with a worsening humanitarian crisis. Gaza’s health ministry reported that at least 19 people have died of hunger since Saturday. Officials warn that “mass deaths” could occur in the coming days as hospitals face critical shortages of fuel, medicine, and food.
Health ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran said medical staff are surviving on one meal a day, while hundreds of civilians arrive at hospitals daily suffering from extreme exhaustion due to hunger.
On Sunday, Israeli fire killed at least 67 people waiting for UN food aid, according to Gaza medics. The Israeli military said its forces fired warning shots at a large crowd in northern Gaza, citing an “immediate threat,” but disputed the reported casualty figures and denied targeting humanitarian trucks.
The escalating violence and deepening food crisis are threatening ceasefire negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with U.S. support. A Hamas official told Reuters that the rising civilian death toll and hunger could derail ongoing talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and a hostage deal.
UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, warned on Monday of widespread starvation, saying food prices have risen 40-fold. “Meanwhile, just outside Gaza, we have enough food to feed the entire population for three months. Lift the siege and allow safe, large-scale aid entry,” the agency said on X.
Israel insists it prioritizes the delivery of humanitarian aid, coordinating with international agencies to ensure its entry.
The current war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, and created what aid groups describe as an “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”
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