Desperate Palestinians fleeing Israel's expanding ground offensive crowded into an ever-shrinking area of the Gaza Strip as the Israel-Hamas war entered its third month on Friday. The United Nations issued a warning that its aid operation is "in tatters" due to the lack of safe places in the besieged enclave.

Israel's ferocious military assault on Gaza, which has resulted in widespread civilian casualties and mass displacements, has triggered international alarm. The Israeli army reported striking approximately 450 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day using air, sea, and ground forces, demonstrating the continued intensity of Israel's campaign.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, utilized his rarely exercised power to alert the Security Council about an impending "humanitarian catastrophe," leading to calls from Arab and Islamic nations for a vote on a draft resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire. The United States, Israel's closest ally, appears likely to block any U.N. effort to stop the fighting, but its concern over the devastation is growing.

U.S. officials conveyed to Israel the necessity to limit civilian deaths and displacement before the expansion of its ground offensive into southern Gaza a few days ago. They highlighted the significant toll on Palestinian lives when much of Gaza City and the north were obliterated. Furthermore, the U.S. emphasized the need for Israel to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Israel maintains that it must crush the military capabilities of Hamas, which rules Gaza, and remove it from power following the group's October 7 attack. During the initial stages of the war, Israel's devastating air and ground campaign focused on the northern half of Gaza, causing hundreds of thousands of residents to flee to the south.

Intense battles have continued in parts of the north in recent days, with hundreds of Palestinian men being rounded up by Israeli troops. Disturbing images and videos have emerged showing these men stripped down to their underwear with heads bowed, as they are guarded by Israeli soldiers. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed that troops have detained and interrogated hundreds of individuals in Gaza suspected of having militant links.

Last week, Israeli forces expanded their ground offensive into southern Gaza, specifically targeting Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the territory. As the entire Gaza Strip remains under military assault, tens of thousands of displaced individuals seeking safety from the fighting have flocked to the border city of Rafah in the far south and Muwasi, a nearby patch of barren coastline declared as a safe zone by Israel.

However, the United Nations and relief agencies have criticized this solution as poorly planned and lacking guarantees of safety for civilians. The overcrowded conditions and lack of basic resources in Rafah have been reported by humanitarian actors, while the ability of U.N. aid agencies to receive vital supplies has been significantly impaired due to the fighting and telecommunications blackout.

The U.N.'s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, stated that there is no longer a functioning humanitarian operation in southern Gaza, rendering the plan to protect civilians and provide aid null and void. With no safe places in Gaza, the humanitarian situation has worsened.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel's campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 17,100 people, with 70% of them being women and children. An additional 46,000 people have been wounded, and many remain trapped under rubble. Hamas and other militants were responsible for killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, during the October 7 attack and taking over 240 hostages. Currently, approximately 138 hostages, mostly soldiers and civilian men, remain in Gaza.

As the conflict enters its third month, the international community calls for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to address the growing crisis in Gaza.