GAZA/TEL AVIV — Israel has announced it is preparing to move Palestinians from combat zones to southern Gaza as it finalizes plans for a military offensive in some of the territory’s most densely populated areas. The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, stated that the supply of tents to the territory would resume on Sunday in preparation for the mass movement of people.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on social media that the government is “in the stage of discussions to finalize the plan to defeat Hamas in Gaza.” The planned offensive is expected to target Gaza City and “central camps,” including the built-up Nuseirat and Bureij camps. Some Israeli officials believe the threat of a widened offensive is being used to pressure Hamas into a new deal for the remaining 50 hostages.
Hostage Families Call for ‘Day of Stoppage’
The news of a potential new offensive has heightened the fears of families of Israeli hostages, who are calling for a “nationwide day of stoppage” in Israel on Sunday to protest the government’s approach to the war. The families fear that a major offensive would further endanger the estimated 20 hostages still believed to be alive. The protest, organized by a group representing the families, aims to “pause daily life” and press the government for a deal to end the war and secure the release of all hostages.
During a weekly rally in Tel Aviv, Dana Silberman Sitton, the sister of Shiri Bibas, whose family was killed in captivity, expressed her belief that hope “will not come from above, it will come only from us.” The demonstration also saw a plea from Pushpa Joshi, the sister of a kidnapped Nepalese hostage, Bipin Joshi, who was taken from a kibbutz.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. An Israeli airstrike in the crowded Muwasi area killed a baby girl and her parents, who were in their tent. Witnesses and hospital officials at Nasser Hospital confirmed the deaths, which occurred in a “safe” zone. The incident has drawn condemnation from neighbors who questioned the purpose of a safe zone if civilians are still at risk. The Israeli military stated it takes precautions to avoid harming civilians while dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported an additional 11 malnutrition-related deaths in the past 24 hours, including one child, bringing the total number of such deaths during the war to 251. The United Nations has warned that starvation and malnutrition levels are at their highest since the conflict began, as Palestinians face a severe lack of food and contaminated water.
The UN human rights office reports that at least 1,760 people have been killed while seeking aid since late May, with many of those deaths occurring near “militarized sites” for aid distribution. The UN and other aid partners continue to face significant challenges in getting aid into and distributed within the territory due to Israeli restrictions and the volatile security situation. In a related development, the U.S. State Department announced it is stopping all visitor visas for people from Gaza to review a small number of humanitarian visas that were recently issued.
The Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people in Israel. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 61,897 Palestinians. Israel disputes this figure but has not provided its own. The UN and independent experts consider the Gaza Health Ministry a reliable source on casualties.