Israel-Hamas Conflict Escalates: Advancing Troops, Challenging Hospital Evacuation, and Regional Warnings

Israeli forces have made significant progress in their ground operation, penetrating over two miles into Gaza, according to a CNN analysis. In the midst of this advancement, aid organizations are expressing concerns about the deteriorating civil order and the immense challenge hospitals face in complying with evacuation orders for patients. Over the weekend, Israel declared that it had entered a "second stage" of its military campaign against Hamas, with the ground operation in Gaza set to escalate after weeks of airstrikes on the Hamas-controlled area.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the country is ready for a protracted and challenging war as it aims to eradicate Hamas following their attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 individuals, predominantly civilians. The escalated military actions have provoked concerns among leaders regarding the potential for a wider regional confrontation while also prompting increased appeals from the United Nations for a humanitarian ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of essential assistance to Gaza.

Heres the latest:

Impossible hospital evacuation

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated on Sunday that the Al-Quds Hospital has suffered significant damage and its residents and patients have been put at risk of suffocation due to Israeli airstrikes. The medical organization accused Israel of intentionally conducting airstrikes in close proximity to the hospital with the aim of compelling its evacuation. The Al-Quds Hospital, which is the second-largest in Gaza City, has been directly affected by these attacks.

The facility is currently providing treatment for hundreds of patients, alongside approximately 12,000 internally displaced civilians who have sought shelter there, according to the agency.

The organization received new warnings from Israel on Sunday, urging immediate evacuation of the hospital due to the impending possibility of bombardment. The World Health Organization has deemed this evacuation to be "impossible" without putting the lives of patients at risk.

The hospital is situated in the northern part of Wadi Gaza, the demarcation line that Israel has urged Gaza residents to move south of in order to avoid the ongoing strikes on alleged Hamas targets in the northern region. The evacuation directive has faced criticism from aid organizations, highlighting the difficulties faced by civilians attempting to relocate within Gaza during times of attack. However, even individuals who have managed to comply with the evacuation order have not been able to find a secure refuge, as reported by CNN on Sunday.

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More desperate by the hour

Shortages of water, food and fuel continue to drive desperation in the territory, which suffered a communications blackout from Friday evening into Sunday morning.

Services started to be restored on Sunday, following reported American pressure on Israel. The United Nations issued a warning on Sunday, stating that there are indications of a deteriorating civil order in Gaza, as thousands of desperate Palestinians are resorting to taking essential items such as flour and hygiene supplies from warehouses.

During a press briefing, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern about the escalating desperation in Gaza. He urged for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire and emphasized the crucial importance of consistent and adequate delivery of humanitarian aid, emphasizing that the current levels of assistance falling short of meeting Gaza's critical needs, as previously stated by UN officials.

US President Joe Biden conversed with Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Sunday regarding the ongoing necessity of providing assistance to Gaza and underscored the significance of safeguarding the lives of civilians.

Israeli tanks and troops are seen in motion near the Gaza border in Sderot, Israel on October 28, 2023. Following the recent attacks by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 individuals and the abduction of 200, Israel has initiated a prolonged bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Additionally, Israel has threatened a ground invasion in order to defeat the militant group that governs the Palestinian territory. However, the situation has been complicated by the presence of hostages, including both Israelis and foreign nationals, who are currently being held by Hamas in Gaza. Furthermore, international pressure regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has resulted in further complexities for Israel's military response. As a result, an exact timeline for the proposed ground invasion remains uncertain. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

According to data gathered from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave, the death toll in Gaza has increased to 7,960 as of Sunday, October 7, leading the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah to express concerns about the declining civil order. Additionally, thousands of individuals have been taking essential items from warehouses in the area.

Save the Children, a relief group, stated that the number of children killed in Gaza over the last three weeks, which is 3,000, has exceeded the annual child casualties in armed conflicts worldwide for the past four years consecutively. The extensive devastation and rapidly increasing number of deaths have triggered significant anger and protests not only in the Middle East but also in other regions.

In the recent occurrence, an enraged crowd in Dagestan, which is primarily a Muslim region in Russia, aggressively stormed an airport following the arrival of a flight from Israel on Sunday. Consequently, the authorities had to close down the facility and redirect flights.

An Israeli soldier stands on artillery near the border with Gaza during Israeli bombardment in Sderot, Israel on October 28, 2023.

Ilia Yefimovich/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Expanded ground operations

Israeli troops appear to have advanced over two miles into Gaza, according to a CNN analysis of video showing soldiers putting an Israeli flag on a rooftop in Gaza.

Israeli ground forces have recently expanded their operations in Gaza. A video, captured on Saturday and released by an Israeli media outlet, offers a rare insight into their whereabouts. The IDF has confirmed engaging in a firefight with Hamas and targeting military facilities, some of which were occupied by Hamas militants.

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On Sunday, a CNN team stationed in Sderot, a city in Israel near the Gaza Strip, witnessed frequent machine gun fire originating from the northern area of the enclave. Simultaneously, the IDF persisted in launching artillery rounds and mortars from the southern border. The IDF further bolstered their presence with tanks, armored personnel vehicles, and surveillance from helicopters, drones, and fighter jets.

The Israeli government is facing public pressure to guarantee the safety of 239 individuals held as hostages in Gaza. Senior officials view the escalating campaign as a strategic approach to secure their release.

People are seen inside Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, in this still image from a video released October 29, 2023.

Palestine Red Crescent Society/Reuters

UN vote, regional tensions

Iran, which has long backed Hamas, issued new threats over the weekend that the current conflict risked widening.

Israel's actions in Gaza have surpassed acceptable boundaries, potentially prompting widespread intervention, stated Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday. Echoing this sentiment, US security adviser Jake Sullivan cautioned about the heightened probability of a conflict spilling over across the Middle East. Over the weekend, both Egypt and Saudi Arabia expressed concerns about the potential destabilization of regional security due to Israel's expanded operations.

Furthermore, there have been ongoing demands for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Sources inform CNN that the United Arab Emirates will request a resolution on implementing a "humanitarian pause" during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council scheduled for Monday.

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This is in accordance with a resolution that was passed on Friday by a large majority of UN member states, urging for a continuous humanitarian ceasefire.

Just a few weeks ago, the United States vetoed a draft resolution at the UNSC that requested a temporary halt to hostilities but did not denounce Hamas for their terrorist attack.

CNNs Richard Allen Greene, Muhammad Darwish, Nadeen Ebrahim, Becky Anderson, Richard Roth, Kevin Liptak, Helena Geers, Rosanne Roobeek, Anna Gorzkowska, Radina Gigova, and Jessie Gretener