By Athena Papakosta

The Israeli noose tightens on Han Younis. The Israel Defense Forces announced yesterday that they had struck dozens of military targets in the Gaza Strip’s second largest city. Among them a Hamas tunnel well with two gunmen of the Islamist Palestinian organization being killed.

In the north and in the refugee camp of Jabalia, the fighting is still raging after more than two months of bombardment, while the same scene is repeating itself in nearby Sejaya.

Between Khan Younis and Jabalia, Deir al-Ballah appears caught in the middle of fire and fighting, while in Rafah, home to Gaza’s southernmost border crossing and the last place displaced people can find refuge, security is at risk. The city was targeted again with a new wave of casualties overwhelming the nearest hospital.

A week after Israel shifted its military operation to the southern part of the Strip as well, the United Nations reiterates that no place, no location is safe in the Palestinian enclave.

According to Hamas, the dead exceed 17,000 and according to the UN, 80% of the population has been displaced.

Even Rafah, a city of 280,000 people, currently has 470,000 displaced people with shelters and houses suffocating and the civilian population sleeping in tents on the streets.

At the same time, humanitarian aid is trickling into the Palestinian enclave. According to the UN only 80 trucks entered Gaza via Egypt in one day. This is half the number of trucks compared to the daily average number of trucks passing through the seven-day ceasefire inside the Palestinian enclave.

Israel’s closest ally, the United States, is again calling for the protection of civilians with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken speaking to Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and reiterating that the casualty numbers are high calling on Israel to step up its efforts to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza as well.

At the same time, videos and photos showing at least 100 Palestinian men wearing only their underwear are being released. Squatting with bowed heads covering their eyes. Among those arrested was the correspondent of the Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed of The New Arab network, Dia al-Kahlut, who was recognized in the images by his colleagues and relatives. For their part, the Israeli armed forces respond that they have interrogated hundreds of people in Gaza who were allegedly linked to the organization as well as Hamas gunmen.