The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it will start preparing to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza City. This comes as health officials reported at least 40 people killed in recent attacks, including a baby in a tent and people waiting for aid.
The announcement follows Israel’s earlier statement about launching a new offensive to take control of Gaza City, the largest urban center in the enclave—a plan that has raised international concern. The ongoing Israeli offensive has already displaced most of Gaza’s population, killed tens of thousands of civilians, and caused famine.
On Saturday, the Israeli military claimed it would provide tents and other shelter equipment starting Sunday to relocate people from combat zones to southern Gaza “to ensure their safety.” However, it did not specify when the mass displacement would begin.
Israel has repeatedly bombed areas it previously declared safe. On Saturday, an airstrike hit a tent in al-Muwasi—a zone Israel had designated as humanitarian—killing a baby girl and her parents, according to Nasser hospital officials and witnesses.
“Two and a half months, what has she done?” asked neighbor Fathi Shubeir. “They are civilians in an area called safe.” The Israeli military said it could not comment on the strike without more details.
Al-Muwasi, now one of Gaza’s most crowded areas after Israel forced people into the barren zone, may soon face further attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said Israel plans to expand its offensive to include al-Muwasi, Gaza City, and “central camps”—likely referring to the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps.
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, at least 13 Palestinians were shot by troops while waiting for food aid near distribution sites in the north and south on Saturday. The health ministry also reported 11 more malnutrition-related deaths in the past 24 hours, including at least one child, bringing the total to 251 since Israel’s blockade restricted aid.
In recent days, Gaza City residents have reported increased airstrikes, particularly in the east, south, and Zeitun neighborhood. Hamas said the military was targeting the area with warplanes, artillery, and drones.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal described worsening conditions in Zeitun, where about 50,000 people lack food, water, and basic necessities amid heavy bombardment.
“We don’t know the taste of sleep,” said Ghassan Kashko, 40, sheltering with his family in a school. “Explosions… don’t stop.”
Bassal accused Israel of ethnic cleansing in Zeitun. While Israel claims to follow international law, rights groups—including Israeli organizations—accuse it of genocide.
The military said shelter equipment would be delivered through the Kerem Shalom crossing by the UN and other aid groups after inspection.The military stated that aid deliveries to Gaza would now be coordinated by defense ministry personnel. Until now, Israeli inspections and bureaucratic hurdles have prevented much-needed aid from entering the territory.
A spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian office raised concerns over Israel’s plan to relocate people to southern Gaza, warning it would worsen suffering. However, the UN welcomed Israel’s acknowledgment that shelter is urgently needed and that tents and other equipment would once again be allowed into Gaza. “The UN and its partners will take advantage of this opportunity,” the spokesperson said.
A Palestinian woman was pictured holding the body of a child killed in an Israeli strike on Musa Bin Nusayr School in Gaza City’s ed-Derec neighborhood on Friday.
On Thursday, the UN warned that thousands of families already facing dire conditions could be pushed to the brink if Israel proceeds with its Gaza City evacuation plan. Palestinian and UN officials have stressed that nowhere in Gaza is safe, including southern areas where Israel has been directing civilians to flee.
When asked whether the shelter supplies were meant for Gaza City’s estimated one million residents and whether they would be relocated to Rafah near Egypt, the military declined to comment.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Saturday that plans for the new offensive were still being finalized.
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, condemned the military’s announcement as “a blatant mockery of international conventions” amid what it called Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza City.
Protests demanding a hostage deal and an end to the war were expected across Israel on Sunday, with many businesses, local governments, and universities supporting a strike.
Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas called for the nationwide work stoppage, expressing frustration over the prolonged conflict. They fear the planned offensive will further endanger the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
FAQS
### **FAQs About the Israeli Military’s Operations in Gaza City and Recent Casualties**
#### **Basic Questions**
**1. Why is the Israeli military forcing residents out of Gaza City?**
The Israeli military says it is targeting Hamas militants and infrastructure, and evacuations are meant to reduce civilian casualties.
**2. What happened to the baby killed in the tent?**
A baby living in a temporary shelter died in recent attacks, highlighting the dangers faced by civilians, especially children, in conflict zones.
**3. Is Gaza City being completely evacuated?**
The Israeli military has ordered evacuations from parts of Gaza City, but not everyone has left due to limited safe options.
**4. Where are displaced Gazans supposed to go?**
Many are fleeing to southern Gaza or makeshift shelters, but overcrowding and lack of resources make survival difficult.
**5. Are these evacuations permanent?**
It’s unclear—some residents may be allowed to return if fighting stops, but many homes have been destroyed.
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#### **Intermediate Questions**
**6. What is Hamas’s role in this situation?**
Hamas, which controls Gaza, is engaged in conflict with Israel. The Israeli military says its operations target Hamas fighters and tunnels.
**7. How many civilians have been killed recently?**
Exact numbers vary, but reports indicate many civilians, including women and children, have died in recent attacks.
**8. Why are tent shelters unsafe?**
Tents offer little protection from airstrikes, extreme weather, and disease, leaving vulnerable people at high risk.
**9. Is humanitarian aid reaching Gaza?**
Some aid arrives, but blockades, fighting, and logistical challenges limit supplies of food, water, and medical care.
**10. What’s the international response to this situation?**
Many countries and organizations call for ceasefires and more aid, but political divisions delay stronger action.
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#### **Advanced Questions**
**11. What’s the legal justification for evacuations under international law?**
Military evacuations must be temporary, necessary for safety, and ensure proper living conditions—critics argue Israel’s actions may violate these rules.
**12. How does this escalation compare to past conflicts in Gaza?**
This is one of the deadliest phases in years,
