Israeli Air Strikes Displace Hundreds of Gaza Families

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A wave of Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip has triggered the mass displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families, according to witnesses and local reports.

Rescue teams recovered the bodies of five people and evacuated dozens of injured civilians to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City. The bombardment comes amid one of the largest evacuation orders issued since the war resumed in March.

The strikes follow mounting pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pivot toward a ceasefire agreement. Despite this, residents in Gaza City reported dozens of air raids targeting densely populated eastern neighbourhoods, including Shujaiya, Tuffah, and Zeitoun.

Videos shared by activists showed chaotic scenes, with explosions lighting up the night sky and flames followed by thick plumes of smoke. One of the strikes reportedly hit a school in Zeitoun sheltering displaced families. The five fatalities were said to have occurred in a strike on the Al Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had earlier ordered evacuations from large areas of northern Gaza. Most displaced families fled westward within Gaza City rather than to the southern region, as instructed.

“We had no choice but to leave everything behind,” said Abeer Talba, a mother of seven who fled Zeitoun. “We got recorded phone calls in Arabic telling us we were in a combat zone and must evacuate immediately. This is the seventh time we've been forced to flee. We're in the streets again—no food, no water. My children are starving. Death feels kinder than this.”

The growing humanitarian crisis has fuelled fears that the evacuation orders and relentless air strikes are part of a broader Israeli plan to expand its ground offensive deeper into Gaza.

However, Israeli media reports suggest some military generals believe their objectives in Gaza may soon be achieved. Several former army leaders have warned that prolonging the campaign could plunge Israel into drawn-out, guerilla-style warfare, resulting in further deaths among civilians, hostages, and soldiers alike.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's next steps are under close scrutiny. While his longstanding stance has been to continue the war and defeat Hamas, pressure is intensifying both domestically and internationally for him to shift towards a ceasefire agreement.