Thousands of Palestinians are streaming out of northern Gaza on foot in a mass exodus. Residents said Wednesday that Israeli forces are closing in on the center of Gaza City from multiple directions and that heavy airstrikes continue.
Palestinians living in the heart of Gaza’s largest city said Wednesday they could see and hear Israeli ground forces closing in from multiple directions, accelerating the exodus of thousands of civilians as food and water become scarce and urban fighting between Israel and Hamas heats up.
For Palestinians in Gaza, the hospital is a symbol of civilian suffering in the war. Like others, it has been overwhelmed by a constant stream of wounded and struggling as electricity and medical supplies run out. Tens of thousands of displaced people have been sheltering in and around the complex. The prime minister's comments appear to have heightened U.S. concerns. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday called for a united and Palestinian-led government for Gaza and the West Bank after the war ends, as a move toward Palestinian statehood.
Throngs of people filled Salah al-Din Street, Gaza’s main highway leading south. They appeared to be in greater numbers than Tuesday, when the U.N. said about 15,000 people streamed southward -- which in turn was triple the number the day before. "I’m hearing all kinds of horrible sounds. It is terrifying. There are intense airstrikes," he said. Both residents spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The trickle of aid entering Gaza from the south is largely barred from going north, which has been without running water for weeks. The U.N. aid office said the last functioning bakeries shut down Tuesday for lack of fuel, water and flour. Hospitals running low on supplies are performing surgeries without anesthesia.
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