Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz declared on Tuesday that “Gaza is burning,” pledging that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would continue striking “with an iron fist” until Hamas is defeated and the remaining hostages are released. “We will not relent and we will not go back — until the completion of the mission,” Katz posted on X, coinciding with the military’s unprecedented order for all residents of Gaza City to evacuate immediately. This directive signals Israel’s push for a major ground offensive aimed at capturing what it calls Hamas’s last stronghold in the densely populated northern Gaza area. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain in Gaza City, many already suffering from famine-like conditions and multiple displacements due to ongoing conflict.
Associated Press journalists observed unusually heavy traffic as families fled the city in overloaded cars, trucks, and donkey carts, piling their possessions high. However, aid organizations cautioned that the majority of civilians lack the means to escape. The United Nations reported that relocating a family southward costs over $1,000, while southern shelters are overwhelmed, facing severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Towers Demolished, Rising Casualties
The IDF announced it had demolished 50 high-rise buildings in Gaza City over the past two days, claiming Hamas used them for military operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the demolitions as “only the beginning” of a broader assault. Gaza’s civil defense authorities reported rescuing survivors from the rubble on Tuesday, alongside the recovery of bodies, and warned that additional individuals might still be trapped under debris.
Protests and Appeals from Within
In Gaza, medical personnel and residents demonstrated against the evacuation orders, insisting that hospitals would stay operational. “We will never leave our land … health care workers won’t leave and we are calling for protection,” stated Dr. Muneer al-Boursh from Gaza’s Health Ministry. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, families of Israeli hostages urged lawmakers to pursue negotiations instead of military escalation. “If I was released through a deal, then apparently that’s the right way to free the rest,” said Iair Horn, a former hostage whose brother remains captive in Gaza.
Humanitarian Crisis and Escalating Regional Tensions
The conflict, ignited by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the kidnapping of 251 hostages, has wrought devastation on Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 90% of the population displaced amid widespread destruction. The humanitarian toll includes acute shortages, with aid access severely restricted.
Violence has intensified in the West Bank as well. On Monday, two 14-year-old Palestinian boys were fatally shot in Jenin, and six people were killed in Jerusalem following a shooting by two gunmen at a bus stop. In response, Israel revoked hundreds of Palestinian work permits and imposed sanctions on the attackers’ families, further straining the fragile regional dynamics.
