900,000 Displaced: Israel’s Account of Civilians Fleeing Gaza City Southward
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Sunday that ongoing military operations in Gaza City had forced about 900,000 Palestinians to flee toward the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
In a speech delivered in Jerusalem, Katz explained that the decision to take control of Gaza, the collapse of multi-story buildings, and the intensity of Israeli military operations have all led to the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents toward the south, creating enormous pressure on Hamas and the countries supporting it.
His remarks came amid a major Israeli military escalation across the Strip. Witnesses reported that Israeli aircraft and tanks bombed several areas in and around Gaza City overnight, destroying dozens of residential buildings and killing several Palestinians.
This escalation coincides with Palestinian anticipation of the U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who called for an immediate halt to airstrikes and the start of talks to implement an initial withdrawal of Israeli forces inside Gaza.
Trump stated that the ceasefire would take effect once Hamas endorsed the plan, which includes the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, along with a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
In the coming days, Cairo is expected to host delegations from Hamas, Israel, the United States, and Qatar to discuss mechanisms for implementing the American proposal. Palestinian sources indicated that several clauses remain under negotiation, particularly those concerning the extent of Israeli control over Gaza’s territory.
Meanwhile, Gaza City faces a severe shortage of food and fuel as roads connecting the south to the north remain closed, and humanitarian organizations are warning of a catastrophic deterioration in civilian conditions, especially among children and the elderly.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under mounting pressure from hostage families and an exhausted public to end the war. However, his far-right allies, including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, have threatened to topple his government if he agrees to halt military operations.
While Donald Trump claims Hamas has shown willingness for lasting peace, the fighting in Gaza continues, along with mass civilian displacement and a humanitarian crisis described by the United Nations as the worst in the territory’s history.
