Israel Escalates Gaza Strikes and Raids UN Center

The Israel Defense Forces intensified military operations across the Gaza Strip between June 30 and July 1, 2026, conducting large-scale home demolitions, artillery shelling, and targeted airstrikes. In Khan Younis, strikes on civilian tents in the Al-Mawasi area killed a mother and her one-year-old daughter and displaced hundreds of families. Other drone strikes in Deir el-Balah and Gaza City killed multiple civilians, including an eight-year-old child. The military reported the deaths of an Al-Qassam Brigades battalion commander in Rafah and an Islamic Jihad elite unit commander.

Simultaneously, Israeli forces raided the Kalandia Training Centre in East Jerusalem, a facility operated by the UN Relief and Works Agency. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs condemned the raid as a violation of UN premises, while Israel alleged the agency is a hub for Hamas activity.

These escalations occurred despite a ceasefire agreement active since October 2025. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that Israeli violations of this ceasefire have caused 1,053 deaths and 3,406 injuries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously ordered the military to control 70% of Gaza's territory, a goal military officials claim has been met. The region also faces a severe health crisis, with nearly 9,300 chickenpox cases reported in Khan Younis due to poor sanitation.