//Evacuation Looms as Gaza Hospitals Brace Amid Rising Death Toll//
On August 23, 2025, Palestinian media reported at least 34 people killed across the Gaza Strip in Israeli military actions—though independent verification remains elusive, and there is no clarity on whether those killed were combatants or civilians .
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| Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy on the outskirts of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, August 23, 2025. |
Escalating Violence Across Gaza
Aid workers say Israeli bombardments have intensified across Gaza since early August. Recent fatalities include:
Six killed while standing in line for aid near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza .
Two killed by a drone strike on a tent in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza .
One killed by a drone strike targeting a home in al-Sabra, south of Gaza City .
At least 14 fatalities resulting from strikes on tents sheltering displaced civilians in Khan Younis—over half were women and children, according to Nasser Hospital officials.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it fired warning shots at aid distribution crowds that moved too close to soldiers but called the Palestinian death counts exaggerated. No alternative figures were offered.
Stories from the Ground
Mohamed Saada traveled to Zikim seeking food for his children. Hundreds of people had gathered there amid chaos—avoidance of violence was futile, but food was scarce. “I came to feed my children, but left empty-handed,” he recounted. “Shooter fire and aid trucks trampled many,” he added ([Times of Israel][1]).
In Khan Younis, Nasser Hospital is treating the wounded amidst a surge in casualties. One relative lamented, “The entire Gaza Strip is being bombed... in the south, in the north, everywhere.” Another pleaded tearfully, “We want a break. Some mercy on us.” The IDF had no statement regarding the Saturday fatalities .
Meanwhile, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reported rising patient volumes in clinics around Gaza City, attributing it to increasing airstrikes and population displacement .
Preparing for a Mass Influx of Evacuees
In Khan Younis, the European Hospital is undergoing renovations, preparing to reopen and receive a large number of patients displaced from the north in anticipation of evacuation orders for Gaza City .
Israeli authorities have urged northern Gaza medical facilities and international bodies to prepare for relocation and focus services in the south. The European Hospital, previously closed after Hamas-related incidents, is being readied for operations with added medical supplies based on international aid organization requests .
A security official said U.N. and humanitarian groups are planning to re-open the hospital to serve up to one million displaced Palestinians expected from the Gaza City offensive .
A Look at the European Hospital
The European Hospital in Khan Younis suffered a devastating attack on May 13, 2025, when Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar—who was reportedly using tunnels beneath the hospital—killed dozens. The attack disrupted hospital operations and left it closed for months.
In that May strike, up to 50 munitions were dropped within 30 seconds; infrastructure—access roads, emergency rooms, water supplies—was severely damaged. The IDF later sealed the tunnel with concrete .
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Famine
Beyond military violence, famine is emerging as another deadly threat. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared that parts of Gaza—especially Gaza City—have entered famine, affecting hundreds of thousands of people, with starvation-related deaths rising daily.
Hospitals have reported hunger deaths, including children. Amnesty and aid groups, including WHO and UNRWA, warn of shortages in food, medicine, and hygiene supplies, and say efforts to deliver aid across borders have been blocked or hindered by Israel .
Military Plans Accelerate
Israel’s push to seize Gaza City has escalated. In August, the Israeli security cabinet approved a plan to occupy the city. From mid-August, active military operations began with reservist call-ups, protests, and bombardments targeting neighborhoods like Zeitoun, Sabra, Rimal, and Tuffah .
On August 18, IDF forces entered Sabra, besieging parts of Gaza City. By August 20, Defense Minister Israel Katz authorized the Gaza City offensive; 60,000 reservists were mobilized .
Two days earlier, on August 21, Israeli officials warned northern Gaza’s medical infrastructure of impending evacuations and started preparing southern hospitals for the expected wave of displaced people .
International Outcry
These developments have sparked global condemnation. Human rights groups accuse Israel of forced displacement—amounting to war crimes or ethnic cleansing—due to mass civilian moves amid military operations . European and international bodies raised alarm over the humanitarian toll of the offensive.
On August 23, 2025, at least 34 people were reported killed in Gaza amid intensifying violence and displacement. Hospitals—including the European Hospital in Khan Younis—are gearing up to handle an expected influx of evacuees, even as famine tightens its grip and military operations expand toward Gaza City.
Civilians continue to bear the brunt—killed, wounded, starving, and trapped between advancing forces and collapsing infrastructure.
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