Gaza City: Israel’s defense minister issued a stark final warning urging residents of Gaza City to flee south as the military tightened its grip on the city amid escalating bombardments. The warning comes as Hamas deliberates over a US-brokered peace plan aimed at ending nearly two years of relentless conflict in the Palestinian territory.
Witnesses reported heavy and continuous shelling in Gaza’s largest urban center, where Israeli forces have reportedly captured the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip, effectively severing the northern and southern parts of the enclave. Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on social media platform X that those who remain in Gaza City would be deemed “terrorists and terrorist supporters,” urging civilians to relocate southward through Israeli military checkpoints.
The announcement follows the Israeli military’s move to block the last remaining route for southern Gaza residents to access the north, tightening the encirclement around the city.
On the ground, residents described harrowing conditions. Sixty-year-old Rabah Al-Halabi, sheltering in a tent near Al-Shifa Hospital, told AFP, “I will not leave because the situation here is as dire as in the south. Bombing is everywhere, displacement is terrifying, and we are waiting for death or perhaps relief and a truce.”
Humanitarian organizations are facing growing challenges amid the intensified conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross temporarily suspended operations in Gaza City, citing “harrowing humanitarian conditions” affecting tens of thousands. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had earlier halted its activities due to the offensive, while some UN agencies and aid groups continue limited work.
Meanwhile, Hamas remains undecided on the US peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump and supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’s disarmament, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
According to a Palestinian source close to Hamas leadership, “no final decision has been made,” with the group requesting “two to three days” to respond. Hamas is reportedly seeking amendments to key clauses, particularly those concerning disarmament and the expulsion of its members. The group also demands international guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal and assurances against targeted killings during any ceasefire.
The Gaza civil defense agency, operating under Hamas, reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 13 people on Wednesday alone in Gaza City. Verification of casualties remains difficult due to media restrictions and limited access.
As tensions rise, many residents express deep exhaustion and desperation. Twenty-six-year-old Fadel Al-Jadba, sheltering in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, said, We want a ceasefire at any cost. We are frustrated, exhausted, and feel abandoned by the world.
Inside Hamas, sources reveal a split in opinion regarding the peace plan. Some favor unconditional acceptance to secure a ceasefire quickly, while others resist key terms such as disarmament and expulsion, advocating conditional approval with demands reflecting the broader resistance’s concerns.
The current conflict’s human toll is staggering. Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed over 1,200 people mostly civilians, Israeli retaliatory strikes have claimed at least 66,000 Palestinian lives, according to health ministry figures in Gaza, with more than half of the dead being women and children.
As Gaza braces for further escalation, the world watches anxiously for signs of peace amid one of the most devastating chapters in the region’s history.