CAIRO/GAZA/JERUSALEM -Israeli forces have launched a relentless assault on central Gaza through land, sea, and air, resulting in dozens of reported deaths, according to Palestinian authorities. The United Nations World Health Organization revealed that thousands of people are attempting to flee the conflict, creating a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military remains steadfast in its determination to eradicate the Palestinian militant group Hamas, following the group's October 7 attack on Israel. Despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, Israeli planes conducted three strikes in Al Nuseirat in central Gaza, leading to seven fatalities and numerous injuries.

The UN health agency reported tens of thousands of people fleeing heavy strikes in Khan Younis and the Middle Area on foot, donkeys, or in cars. Makeshift shelters are being hastily constructed along roads to accommodate those displaced by the violence.

On the diplomatic front, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work towards a durable ceasefire with regional and international support. However, Israel's military reported three additional soldiers killed in action in Gaza, bringing the total military losses to 166 since ground operations commenced on October 20.

The Gaza health ministry confirmed an Israeli airstrike killed 20 Palestinians near Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis. In Al-Maghazi district, five Palestinians lost their lives in an airstrike, while in Gaza City, seven bodies arrived at Al Shifa Hospital.

As night fell, residents in central Gaza reported intensified Israeli tank shelling east of Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi, where tanks are attempting to advance.

The conflict's toll in Gaza stands at 21,110 killed and 55,243 wounded in Israeli attacks, with almost all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents displaced from their homes.

Concerns are growing about the conflict spreading, including along Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Hezbollah fired more rockets and weaponized drones than ever before, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah military sites and other locations in Lebanon.

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden explained that recent U.S. military strikes in Iraq aimed to deter Iran and Iran-backed militia groups from attacking American personnel and bases. Meanwhile, confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have increased, resulting in six Palestinian deaths during an Israeli raid in Tulkarm, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli military claimed its forces were attacked by militants during a counter-terrorism operation.

As tensions escalate on multiple fronts, the international community continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and a concerted effort to address the humanitarian crisis in the region.