Israeli tanks advanced further into a town in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, intensifying the ongoing conflict that has already resulted in a mass exodus of Palestinian families. The relentless bombardment has forced tens of thousands of displaced families to flee, seeking safety from the escalating violence.

Images posted by a Palestinian journalist showed Israeli tanks near a mosque in the built-up area of Bureij, indicating that they had advanced from the orchards on the eastern outskirts. The town of Bureij found itself at the center of heavy fighting, with tanks pushing in from the north and east. Residents and militants reported fierce battles in the eastern part of Bureij on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, in the main southern city of Khan Younis, Israeli forces targeted the area around the al-Amal hospital, sparking fears of a new ground push into territory already overcrowded with families who have been displaced during the 12 weeks of war. The Palestinian Red Crescent, which runs the hospital, reported 10 Palestinians killed and 12 wounded in one bombardment, marking the third strike targeting the hospital area in less than an hour.

The toll of the war has reached grim proportions, with Palestinian health authorities confirming that 210 people were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours alone. This brings the total number of casualties to a staggering 21,320 dead, which amounts to almost 1 percent of the population in the enclave. There is a concern that thousands more may be buried or lost in the ruins.

Despite pleas from their closest ally, the United States, Israel has escalated its ground war in Gaza, defying calls to scale down the campaign. The war was initially launched to dismantle the Hamas movement that governs Gaza after an attack on Israeli towns in October resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the capture of 240 hostages.

The focal point of the fighting now lies in central areas south of the wetlands that divide the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces have been ordering civilians to evacuate as tanks continue to advance. Consequently, tens of thousands of people from Nusseirat, Bureij, and Maghazi districts have been fleeing towards the overwhelmed city of Deir al-Balah along the Mediterranean coast. Camps with makeshift tents have been hastily constructed to accommodate the influx of displaced people.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) expressed grave concern for the plight of these displaced individuals, stating, "Over 150,000 people - young children, women carrying babies, people with disabilities & the elderly - have nowhere to go."

As the conflict rages on, Israel reported three more soldiers killed, increasing its toll in the ground campaign to 169. The past week has witnessed some of the heaviest losses for Israel since the war began.

Efforts to cease the bloodshed are being made, with Egypt acting as a mediator and proposing a three-stage plan for a ceasefire. However, there has been no official response from either side involved in the conflict.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with virtually all residents having been displaced at least once and only a handful of functioning hospitals remaining. The international community, particularly Israel's Western allies, is increasingly concerned about the high civilian death toll and its potential to radicalize a new generation, posing further unrest in the already volatile Middle East region.

President Joe Biden warned earlier this month that the "indiscriminate bombing" could jeopardize sympathy for Israel among its allies. The United States has called for a transition from full-scale ground war to a targeted campaign against Hamas leaders.

The conflict shows no signs of abating, and the world anxiously awaits a resolution in the hopes of restoring peace in the region.