Israel’s defense minister has announced that Israeli forces are tightening their siege around Gaza City by expanding control over a key military corridor that stretches to the coast. In a stark final warning, Defense Minister Israel Katz urged the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remaining in the city to evacuate south. He stated that those who stay during the ongoing offensive against Hamas would be considered “terrorists and supporters of terror.”
Hospitals in Gaza City reported that 45 people were killed by Israeli fire on Wednesday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced a suspension of its operations in the city due to the escalating violence. This intensified military action comes as Hamas is deliberating its response to a new peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the conflict.
Mediators from Arab nations and Turkey are reportedly urging Hamas to respond positively to the plan. However, a senior Hamas official indicated to the BBC that the group is likely to reject the proposal, suggesting it primarily serves Israel’s interests. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have identified Gaza City as Hamas’s “last stronghold” and stated that the current offensive aims to secure the release of the remaining 48 hostages, of whom 20 are believed to be alive, and to achieve the “decisive defeat” of Hamas.
The Israeli defense minister informed the media that the IDF is nearing completion of its takeover of the Netzarim corridor, a military zone connecting Israel to Gaza’s western coast. He explained that this move would further tighten the siege around Gaza City, with any movement south requiring passage through IDF checkpoints. Katz emphasized that this represents the “last chance” for Gaza City residents to move south and avoid being caught amidst the IDF’s ongoing operations.
The ICRC stressed that international humanitarian law mandates the protection of civilians, regardless of their decision to stay or leave Gaza City. They reiterated Israel’s obligation, as the occupying power, to ensure the basic needs of the population are met, including the protection of medical personnel and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid. The organization also noted that the increased military activity has forced it to suspend operations at its Gaza City office, leaving tens of thousands of civilians in dire conditions. The ICRC stated its commitment to continue supporting civilians in Gaza City from its operational offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah whenever possible.
The intensified military operations have led to significant displacement, with the IDF claiming approximately 800,000 residents have fled Gaza City since August. However, UN and humanitarian partners report monitoring fewer than 400,000 people crossing into southern Gaza. Many families cite the inability to afford relocation or a reluctance to move due to repeated displacement during the conflict as reasons for staying. Some who attempted to evacuate have returned north due to a lack of shelter.
The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson announced on Wednesday that the al-Rashid coastal road would no longer be accessible for travel north into Gaza City, though it would remain open for those heading south. Gaza’s Hamas-run Government Media Office condemned this decision, labeling it as part of a policy of “suffocation, siege, and genocide” against the Palestinian people in the Strip.