Israel continues 'ethnic cleansing' to create buffer zones in northern Gaza

Israeli air strikes have killed at least 18 Palestinians in Gaza, with 15 dead in an attack on two houses in the north Gaza town of Beit Lahia and three fatalities in a strike on a house in Nuseirat camp in the Palestinian enclave's centre, medics said.

Several people were wounded in both attacks, they said, adding that Israeli forces had sent tanks into the northeast of Nuseirat camp earlier on Monday.

Israel has deployed tanks into Jabalia, Beit Hanoon, and Beit Lahia since October 5.

Palestinians said the new aerial and ground offensives and forced evacuations were "ethnic cleansing" aimed at emptying two northern Gaza towns and a refugee camp of their population to create buffer zones.

The Gaza media office has put the number of Palestinians killed since October 5 at 1,800.

"Over 1,800 people were killed and 4,000 wounded while hundreds are still missing in this ongoing aggression," the Palestinian media office in Gaza said in a statement.

"All hospitals in northern Gaza were destroyed and put out of service, and civil defence crews targeted, with some of them arrested," it added.

"The occupation army used starvation as a weapon against civilians, prevented 3,800 aid trucks from going into northern Gaza, and deliberately starved nearly 400,000 people there, including more than 100,000 children," the media office said.

"It also destroyed dozens of displacement and shelter centres that house tens of thousands of displaced people who fled their homes in search of safety and security."

The media office appealed to the international community and UN agencies to assume their responsibilities and pressure Israel "to stop the brutal crimes being committed against civilians in Gaza."