‘No safe place’ for Palestinians in Gaza as Israel steps up ground operations

John Yang:

Good evening. I'm John Yang. As the Israeli military presence in Gaza grows, so too, it appears does the desperation among the residents of that besieged Palestinian enclave. The Israeli Defense Force said it sent more ground troops into Gaza. And then in the previous 24 hours, it struck more than 450 militant targets, including Hamas command centers and platforms for launching anti-tank missiles.

Meanwhile, internet and phone services come back for much of Gaza after Israeli strikes had knocked it out on Friday. Once again tonight, Leila Molana-Allen is in Israel for us.

Leila Molana-Allen:

In southern Gaza, as desperation grows, what little aid is getting through is at risk of death. At this United Nations warehouse in Khan Yunis, it was every man and child for themselves.

The U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees called it a sign of breakdown in civil order after three weeks under siege. At this nearby refugee camp families are living on next to nothing. Rami Al-Erqan shares one tent with his wife and six children.

Rami Al-Erqan, Displaced Palestinian (through translator):

I wish God will have mercy on us and the war stops. We reached a state where we wish we had died under the rubble just to find some rest. Our life is torture.

Leila Molana-Allen:

On Sunday, the Naseer Hospital in Khan Yunis received its first truckload of supplies since the war began. The Palestinian Red Cross said it was one of 10 truck fulls of aid, which passed through the Rafah Border Crossing two days earlier.

The Israel Defense Forces kept up its air campaign releasing video of what it said were expanded ground operations inside Gaza. The IDF has warned gardens to evacuate the north, but civilians sheltering at the al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City say they have nowhere to go.

Abu Qusai Al-Deeb, Displaced Palestinian (through translator):

Since Saturday, October 7, we've been here we've received six warnings to evacuate the hospital. We told them, identify safe places and we will leave the hospital. There's no safe place, not in the south, nor in the whole of Gaza.

Leila Molana-Allen:

On CNN State of the Union this morning, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said he has been asking his Israeli counterparts hard questions about civilian casualties behind closed doors.

Jake Sullivan, National Security Adviser:

Hamas is making life extremely difficult for Israel by taking civilians as human shields and by putting their rocket infrastructure in terrorist infrastructure among civilians. That creates an added burden for Israel but it does not lessen Israel's responsibility under international humanitarian law to distinguish between terrorists and civilians and to protect the lives of innocent people and that is the overwhelming majority of the people in Gaza.

Leila Molana-Allen:

The war is also uprooting Israeli civilians. Ye'ela Malka and her family were forced to evacuate their home in the northern town of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border after increasing exchanges of fire with Hezbollah militants. They've been living in a single hotel room since Wednesday, with no idea when they'll be allowed back home.

Ye’ela Malka, Displaced Israeli:

It's not easy when I came here and they ate my first time I just cried because I didn't know how much time it's going to be. We still don't know what I'm trying to get you to be here. But we hope it will learn weekly.

Leila Molana-Allen:

A hope and prayer shared by all those caught up in this war. For PBS News Weekend, I'm Leila Molana-Allen in Jerusalem.

John Yang:

Last night, we brought you the story of an American citizen Haneen Okal and her three small children who were stuck in Gaza. Her family tells us they were able to reach her today for the first time since Friday that she and the children are alive but still struggling for food and water and still unable to leave.