NUSEIRAT: Israel’s defence minister issued a final warning for Gaza City residents to flee south on Wednesday as Hamas considered a US-backed ceasefire plan.
Witnesses reported heavy bombardment in Gaza’s largest urban centre while Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the military was tightening its encirclement of the city.
Katz declared this was the last opportunity for Gaza residents to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City.
He stated that anyone remaining would be considered terrorists and terrorist supporters according to his social media post.
Katz confirmed the military had captured the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip through to the western coast.
This military move effectively cut off northern Gaza from the southern part of the territory.
He added that anyone leaving Gaza City for the south would need to pass through Israeli military checkpoints.
The announcement came hours after the military said it was closing the last remaining route for southern Gaza residents to access the north.
Rabah Al-Halabi, a 60-year-old sheltering at Al-Shifa Hospital, described relentless explosions throughout Gaza City.
He told AFP he would not leave because the situation in Gaza City was no different from the southern Gaza Strip.
Al-Halabi explained that all areas were dangerous with bombing everywhere and displacement being terrifying and humiliating.
He expressed they were simply waiting for death or perhaps relief from God and for a truce to come.
The International Committee of the Red Cross suspended its activities in Gaza City due to intensified military operations.
The organization warned that tens of thousands of people faced harrowing humanitarian conditions in the city.
This followed medical charity Doctors Without Borders also suspending its work there because of Israel’s offensive.
Hamas was considering a peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump and backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The plan calls for a ceasefire, hostage release within 72 hours, Hamas disarmament and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas leaders told AFP that no final decision had been made yet.
The source indicated the movement would likely need two to three days to reach a decision.
Hamas wants to amend some items including the disarmament clause and the expulsion of Hamas members.
The group informed mediators of the need for international guarantees for full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas also demanded guarantees that Israel would not violate a ceasefire through assassinations inside or outside Gaza.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported Israeli strikes killed at least 13 people in Gaza City on Wednesday.
The Israeli military told AFP it was looking into the reports of these casualties.
Media restrictions in Gaza and access difficulties prevent independent verification of casualty figures provided by either side.
Fadel Al-Jadba, sheltering in Gaza City, said he would not leave despite tanks advancing in nearby neighborhoods.
He expressed frustration and exhaustion while stating they wanted a ceasefire at any cost.
Trump told reporters that Hamas had about three or four days to accept his 20-point Gaza plan.
The US president later warned that Hamas would pay in hell if it refused the proposed agreement.
A source familiar with Doha negotiations revealed two opinions exist within Hamas regarding the ceasefire plan.
One faction supports unconditional approval with priority on ceasefire under Trump’s guarantees.
The other has serious reservations regarding key clauses about disarmament and expulsion of Palestinians.
Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in 1,219 deaths according to AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 66,148 Palestinians according to Gaza health ministry figures.
The UN considers these Palestinian health ministry figures reliable for tracking the conflict’s impact.
These figures indicate more than half of the dead are women and children though they don’t specify fighter numbers. – AFP