Several neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip were demolished overnight Tuesday after Israeli forces pounded the area with numerous strikes, forcing Palestinians out of their homes as Israel ramps up its counteroffensive against Hamas.
The Israeli military said Wednesday that fighter jets struck dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip, including bank branches, operational command centers, Hamas compounds used for weapon storage and training, and the Islamic University, which was being used as a training camp and for weapons production.
The series of strikes come after Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend, invading multiple towns by land, sea and air while firing off rockets from the area.
Israeli forces quickly vowed to destroy the group and forcefully avenge the attacks. The Israeli military has claimed that more than 2,290 Hamas targets have been hit.
At least 200,000 Gaza residents have been displaced so far, with many taking shelter in dozens of schools run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip earlier this week, vowing to halt the supply of food, electricity and water to the region.
The OCHA estimated the lack of resources would impact hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, as basic supplies and electricity were already running low before Gallant’s order.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the last remaining access from Egypt was shut down following airstrikes near the border crossing. The OCHA said Palestinians in Gaza only have electricity for around three to four hours per day as a result, which could soon be shortened even further.
Gaza’s sole power plant is set to run out Wednesday, the area power authority said, according to the AP, with power blackouts expected in the territory as a result. Generators were typically used to power buildings and homes in Gaza, with the order cutting off any fuel imports.
The strikes have also damaged or destroyed several medical facilities and infrastructure, hindering the ability to reach and treat those injured, the OCHA said.
The conflict has already claimed at least 2,200 lives on both sides, a total expected to increase as fighting continues.
Hamas also claimed to be holding around 150 hostages from Israel and has vowed to execute them if the strikes continue.