Gaza City Faces Mass Evacuation as Israel Escalates Offensive, Sparking International Alarm
Gaza City is bracing for a potentially catastrophic mass evacuation as Israel announced plans for a full-scale military operation, raising fears for the safety of nearly 900,000 Palestinians. The move has triggered widespread international condemnation and renewed concerns about a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Residents, already enduring months of conflict and displacement, express exhaustion and despair. “People are tired of being forcibly and repeatedly displaced,” stated a director from the Palestinian NGO Network. He highlighted the perilous conditions facing civilians, noting the destruction of essential infrastructure like hospitals and water facilities, leaving little to sustain a mass exodus. “Now,there is nothing to give to the people,and it’s risky. We have to move elders who cannot walk, and we have patients and injured people who cannot move. We cannot leave them behind, and we cannot give them services.”
The escalation comes amidst a surge in violence. Since dawn, Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of at least 36 Palestinians, including a minimum of 21 who were seeking desperately needed aid. A drone strike in Bani suheila,south of Khan Younis,killed two Palestinians,according to sources at nasser Hospital.Reports from northern Gaza indicate Israeli forces shot and killed an aid seeker, while at least two more were killed at a distribution site operated by GHF, a US and Israel-backed organization slated for expansion under the new offensive.
Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Amman, revealed that GHF, already linked to the deaths of over 1,300 Palestinians attempting to access food – largely at the hands of Israeli forces – intends to increase its operations to twelve hubs within Gaza. While Israel has not provided a specific timeline for seizing control of Gaza City, troop movements along the border suggest a ground offensive is imminent, with the potential evacuation process lasting weeks. Military analysts suggest establishing long-term security control and a new civil management could take years.
The international community has largely denounced the plans. The United Nations, the European Union, and numerous countries have voiced their opposition. Though, the response from Israel’s key ally, the United States, remains ambiguous. Vice President JD Vance declined to comment on whether the US was informed in advance of the operation,reiterating the administration’s lack of support for a Palestinian state and condemning Hamas attacks.
Experts emphasize that Israel’s plan hinges on considerable financial backing from Washington. the situation also evokes past statements from former President Donald Trump, who expressed a desire to “clean up” Gaza and transform it into a resort destination.
Hamas has condemned Israel’s actions as a “war crime,” attributing the withdrawal from recent ceasefire negotiations to this decision. In a statement, the group vowed to “resist any occupation or aggressive force,” accusing the US of enabling Israel and the international community of complicity in crimes against Palestinians.
An emergency session of the UN Security Council is scheduled for Saturday to address the escalating crisis in Gaza. The situation remains volatile, with the potential for a significant humanitarian disaster looming as the planned evacuation unfolds.
