Trump’s Deadline for Hamas Nears Its End… Gaza’s Displaced Caught Between Hardship and the Inability to Escape
As the deadline set by Donald Trump for Hamas to respond to his proposal draws near, Gaza’s residents continue to endure harsh displacement and dire humanitarian conditions.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz ordered all Palestinians still remaining in Gaza City to leave, calling it their “last chance.”
He warned that anyone who stays would be considered a supporter of Hamas militants and would face “the full force” of Israel’s ongoing assault on the city.
On the ground, Israeli airstrikes continued, killing dozens of Palestinians across various areas, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Among the dead were displaced persons sheltering in a school-turned-refuge, civilians gathered near a water reservoir, and others struck in tents near hospitals.
The Harshness of Displacement
According to reports, nearly 400,000 Palestinians have fled the devastated city of Gaza since Israel launched a large-scale offensive last month aimed at capturing it.
Yet hundreds of thousands remain, many unable to afford leaving or too frail to travel south to refugee camps.
Images and videos shared by Palestinian media and international agencies show al-Rashid coastal road packed with families fleeing south—trucks and cars hastily loaded moving alongside pedestrians carrying their belongings.
“We left barefoot,” said Hussein al-Dal, a Gaza resident, to the Associated Press. “The Israelis were striking randomly, sparing no one. We left behind our food, furniture, blankets—everything. We left only with our lives.”
In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, dozens gathered to bury independent Palestinian journalist Yahya Barzaq, killed while covering an Israeli airstrike alongside five others.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the number of media workers killed in Gaza since the war began has exceeded 189.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced it was suspending its operations in Gaza City due to escalating fighting, relocating staff to the south.
Hamas Still Reviewing the Plan
Politically, Hamas is still studying U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal, which includes the release of hostages, the movement’s withdrawal from governing Gaza, and disarmament, in exchange for a ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners, the flow of humanitarian aid, and reconstruction of the territory under a transitional international administration.
A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press that some aspects of the proposal were “unacceptable” and would need amendments, without providing details. An official response will only come after consultation with other Palestinian factions.
The plan, announced last Monday at the White House, was widely welcomed by the international community.
The “Fleet of Resilience”
At the same time, the “Global Fleet of Resilience,” made up of 50 ships, reported that the Israeli navy intercepted several of its vessels late Wednesday night as they attempted to reach Gaza—similar to previous attempts.
Israeli authorities had already warned that no boats would be permitted to reach Gaza.
Thursday also coincides with Yom Kippur, the most solemn Jewish holiday, during which businesses, shops, public transportation, and radio broadcasts in Israel come to a halt starting from Wednesday evening.
