DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s defense minister has ordered all Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, warning that those who remain will be considered militant supporters and face the “full force” of Israel’s offensive. The directive, issued Wednesday, comes amid continued airstrikes that killed at least 21 people across the territory, according to local hospitals.
“This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south,” Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X. “Those who remain in Gaza will be (considered) terrorists and terror supporters.”
The evacuation order has intensified the exodus, with roads south crowded by trucks, cars, and families traveling on foot. “We left barefoot,” said resident Hussein al-Del. “The Israelis were striking at random, with no mercy for anyone. We left behind our food, our furniture, blankets, and everything. We left only with our souls.”
Strikes on Gaza City Wednesday killed at least seven people, including first responders, when two missiles hit a school sheltering displaced residents, according to Al-Ahli Hospital. Later strikes killed five people near a water tank and one in an apartment, while hospitals in central Gaza reported at least eight more fatalities. A strike on a tent at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital injured two others.
Among the victims was freelance journalist Yahya Barzaq, killed Tuesday alongside five others while working for Turkish broadcaster TRT. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that more than 189 Palestinian media workers have died since the war began. Israel, which has not commented on the latest strikes, maintains it does not target civilians and blames Hamas for operating in populated areas.
Since Israel launched its offensive last month, around 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City, though hundreds of thousands remain trapped by poverty, illness, or fear of unsafe conditions in southern camps. U.N. agencies estimate that 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and the International Committee of the Red Cross announced it had suspended operations in Gaza City due to intensifying combat.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 injured since the conflict began, with women and children accounting for about half of the dead. The figures, widely regarded as reliable by U.N. agencies, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The war began with the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others abducted. Most hostages have since been released, but Israel believes 48 remain in Gaza, around 20 of them still alive.
Meanwhile, Hamas is weighing a new 20-point ceasefire proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, which calls for the release of hostages, Hamas’ disarmament, and Gaza’s reconstruction under international governance. The plan, however, does not outline a path to Palestinian statehood.
A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press that “some points in the proposal are unacceptable and must be amended,” adding that consultations with other factions are ongoing. Egypt and Qatar, key mediators, have also called for revisions. The Palestinian Authority has welcomed the proposal, along with several Arab and Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Indonesia.
In a related development, Israeli forces intercepted several boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, a high-profile activist convoy carrying medicine and food to Gaza. Among those on board was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, shown in an Israeli government video surrounded by soldiers after the flotilla was diverted to an Israeli port.
The flotilla, comprising about 40 civilian vessels with nearly 500 activists, had drawn international attention and support from Turkey, Spain, and Italy. Organizers condemned the interception as a “war crime” and claimed Israeli forces used water cannons and attempted to sink at least one boat, though this account could not be independently verified.
Turkey denounced the raid as “an act of terror,” while protests broke out in Italy. Israeli authorities reiterated that Gaza’s maritime blockade would be enforced.
Despite international pressure, both Israel and Hamas remain entrenched in their positions. Israel has vowed to continue its campaign until Hamas is dismantled, while Palestinians face growing displacement, famine, and civilian casualties. With no breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations, Gaza remains caught between escalating military operations and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
