GAZA CITY, Palestine

Two elderly Palestinians died while waiting at an Israeli checkpoint east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, according to witnesses on Tuesday.

The two elderly individuals, both ill and in wheelchairs, passed away in the afternoon as they waited for several hours at the checkpoint, witnesses said.

They had been trying to cross the Israeli checkpoint with their families and other displaced Palestinians from the town of Beit Lahia, they added.

The two elders were held by Israeli forces at the checkpoint near the Civil Administration area east of the Jabalia refugee camp, enduring hours-long delays since early morning.

Witnesses said that the displaced people, including the two elders, were forced to wait for long hours under the sun in harsh conditions at the Israeli checkpoint, as they sought passage following Israeli warnings for residents to evacuate the area.

Early Tuesday, the Israeli army dropped leaflets over several neighborhoods in Beit Lahia, ordering residents and displaced people to evacuate the area and head south via Salah al-Din Road, east of the Jabalia refugee camp.

The Israeli army laid a siege on northern Gaza last month, claiming it is trying to stop Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

More than 1,800 people have been killed since then, according to Palestinian health authorities. Food and other aid are severely limited.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, killing nearly 43,400 people and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala