In a dramatic escalation of its ongoing military campaign in Gaza, Israel has ordered the entire population of Gaza City to evacuate, declaring the city as the “last important stronghold” of Hamas. The move comes amid intensified airstrikes and preparations for a full-scale ground operation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will deliver a decisive blow to the militant group.
According to the Israeli military, it now holds operational control over 40% of Gaza City, with airstrikes targeting infrastructure and tower blocks ahead of a final push. Netanyahu claims over 100,000 civilians have already fled, though up to a million remain trapped — many unwilling or unable to leave. Displaced residents like Ammar Sukkar and Wael Shaban say they have no intention or means to flee. Sukkar, speaking defiantly after a nearby strike, said, “We’re not leaving. This is my land.” Shaban added that transportation to southern Gaza costs 1,500 shekels, a sum many cannot afford. “We can’t even afford flour,” he said, lamenting the loss of all his belongings after being forced to evacuate within 15 minutes.
Israel says humanitarian zones in the south are being prepared with tents, food, and water, including a new aid distribution hub near Rafah, built with support from US private security forces and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, aid organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warn that the mass movement is “incomprehensible” and “unfeasible,” given the overcrowding, resource scarcity, and ongoing strikes even in so-called safe zones. The UN reports over 1,100 deaths linked to GHF aid sites since May. Despite this, Israeli military spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani insists the new corridors are safe and controlled, pointing to concrete walls, designated paths, and proximity to displaced populations.
The situation in Rafah serves as a stark reminder. Once a bustling city, it has now been reduced to rubble, flattened by previous Israeli operations targeting Hamas. Though Israeli forces had declared the area evacuated “temporarily,” it remains under full military control, with no sign of returning life. Netanyahu has made it clear: with ceasefire talks collapsed, he sees this final assault on Gaza City as a path to total victory over Hamas. However, the challenges are mounting. Hamas has shifted tactics to guerrilla-style insurgency, with recent attacks killing four Israeli soldiers. Additionally, pressure is intensifying from families of Israeli hostages, who fear the operation could kill their loved ones held by Hamas.
With up to a million civilians still inside Gaza City, most living in tents or makeshift shelters, and nowhere truly safe to go, Israel’s order to evacuate has sparked both fear and defiance. Whether this offensive marks the end of the war or the beginning of a darker chapter depends not just on military outcomes — but on how much more the people of Gaza can endure.
