UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations announced on Monday that it has had to suspend its humanitarian operations in Gaza due to a new Israeli evacuation order for the Deir al-Balah area. A senior UN official stated, “We are not operating today. As of this morning, we’re not operating in Gaza,” noting that the UN has faced similar interruptions since the conflict began. The official emphasized that while they are not officially halting operations, practical difficulties have made it impossible to continue.
The UN had previously relocated much of its staff to Deir al-Balah following an earlier evacuation order for Rafah. However, the Israeli military issued a new order on Sunday for immediate evacuation, complicating the UN’s efforts. The official mentioned, “We need to find solutions. If it means we need to anchor down for 24-48 hours and reset, we do that. But we’re not leaving.”
Israeli Military Strikes
On Monday, Israel’s military conducted strikes on the Gaza Strip following a brief but intense cross-border escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Lebanese group retaliated with rockets and drones after Israel’s air raids, which the military claimed prevented a larger attack.
Israel quickly lifted a state of emergency declared earlier on Sunday, and Hezbollah announced its operation was complete. Reports from Gaza City and other areas described overnight air strikes and shelling. Medics reported that an air strike on a Gaza City house resulted in at least five deaths, with more casualties feared buried under the rubble.
According to the Israeli military, dozens of fighters were “eliminated” over the past day in southern Gaza areas such as Khan Yunis and Rafah, as well as near Deir al-Balah. Since October 7 of last year, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 40,435 deaths, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Diplomatic Efforts
Efforts to prevent further escalation continue amid the conflict. Recent discussions in Cairo have failed to produce a breakthrough. The key issue remains Israel’s demand to maintain control over strategic areas, including the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, to prevent Hamas from re-arming. Egypt, which is mediating the talks with Qatar and the United States, has stated it will not support Israeli control of the corridor.
The White House reported progress in the Cairo talks, despite ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described the negotiations as “constructive,” noting that the work on securing a ceasefire continues. Kirby added that senior White House official Brett McGurk stayed in Cairo for additional discussions at a lower level to advance the talks.