As fighting intensified this week between Israeli and Palestinian forces, residents of Gaza are once again facing the question: Where can we go to escape the violence? Casualties grew this week during the worst violence between Israel and the Gaza Strip since a 2014 war. More than 87 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Monday, including 18 children and eight women, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported. Among the dead were both militants and civilians. More than 500 people have been wounded. Israeli bombs hit Umm Majed al-Rayyes’ apartment building in Gaza City on Wednesday, throwing her from her bed. As walls exploded and windows broke, the 50-year-old gathered her four children and tried to find a place to hide. “This whole territory is a tiny place. It’s a prison. Everywhere you go, you’re a target,” said al-Rayyes, who said she was able to seek shelter in a neighbor’s house. She said the Israeli airstrike came without warning. Gaza is a small, crowded piece of land with more than 2 million people. There are no air raid warnings or safe houses. Temporary shelters built by the United Nations have been destroyed during years of conflict. During the past two days, Israeli airstrikes struck three large buildings with important Hamas offices and some businesses. Sometimes the Israeli military fired warning shots, permitting people to make an escape. Fighter jets also targeted several residential buildings without warning, in neighborhoods where Israel said militants lived.
