Thousands of Palestinians fleeing Israeli airstrikes take shelter at hospitals

KHAN YUNIS - OCT. 16, 2023: Thousands of Palestinians fleeing Israeli airstrikes targeting Gaza took shelter at the hospitals and schools. Footage shows some of them at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where they spend the night to stay safe from Israel's ongoing attacks. Ten days into the conflict with Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with over 1 million people – almost half the total population of Gaza – having been displaced, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Gaza is experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are running out, as civilians flee to the south following Israeli warning to evacuate northern areas. The fighting began when Hamas on Oct. 7 initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. (Footage by Hani Alshaer /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)