One bomb dropped on a center for the disabled. Another wiped out 18 members of the same family.

By Monday morning, the death toll from nearly a week of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reached 172 -- all of them Palestinians -- with more than 1,250 wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel has so far shrugged off international calls for a cease-fire, saying it will continue the offensive as long as the militant group Hamas keeps firing rockets into its territory.

And Hamas shows no sign of letting up after already launching almost 1,000 rockets at Israel.

Caught in the middle are the residents of Gaza. While the Israeli attacks have killed some militants, around 70% of the fatalities were civilians, according to the United Nations. Of the dead, more than 30 are children, the U.N. reported.

"All sides ... must respect the sanctity of civilian life," said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

Over the weekend, Israel dropped leaflets instructing residents to leave northern areas of Gaza where it planned to carry out strikes. But Hamas, which controls Gaza, told people to stay put.

Ahmed, a resident of northern Gaza, managed to put his family in a taxi Sunday to take them to somewhat safer ground in Gaza City.

"I don't answer to them," Ahmed said of Hamas' request. "I do what's best for us."

As they were getting into the car, explosions erupted nearby, prompting cries of fear from the terrified children.

It's the third time in the last five years that the family has had to flee their home.

Others stayed, because they felt they had no other choice.

"They will not vacate. ... Where do we go?" asked Ramez Al-Madhoun, who lives in a building with 20 people in the northern Gaza neighborhood of Beit Lahya. He said his building is home to seven adults, the rest children.

In Gaza City, where some streets are strewn with rubble, people are taking refuge in U.N. buildings. More than 1,000 gathered in one school alone.

Um Juma'a says she and her family of 15 fled their home at 2 a.m.

"We told the kids, 'Get up! Get up!'" she says. "We walked all the way here."

A baby in the family needs milk, but they don't have any.

"We have nothing," she says. "Not even safety."

(CNN)