In the last hours, residents in northern areas faced urgent calls to leave their homes. An Israeli military operation was described as a move to create corridors for thousands of families to relocate toward the southern Gaza Strip. Yet trust in the process remains fragile inside the enclave. Many people traveled on Saturday along routes laid out by military officials and other authorities. Tragically, some did not survive the journey, and others faced ongoing danger on the road beneath bombardment at their homes. Over the past week, health authorities in Gaza reported a rising death toll, with figures climbing toward ten thousand in the region. In seven days, the toll surpassed the fatalities seen during earlier, longer campaigns in recent memory. A military spokesperson urged safe relocation and emphasized the short window available for people to move from the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City toward Khan Younis for safety.
In the near term, Israeli authorities are preparing to evacuate residents of the border town of Sderot, which lies less than a kilometer from Gaza and has borne the brunt of recent Hamas attacks. While evacuation is not mandatory, officials have advised residents to consider leaving the area. This comes after a night of aerial, maritime, and ground operations along the strip, signaling that a broader ground offensive may be imminent. Since the Hamas assault, Israeli air forces and drones have conducted continuous strikes, with hundreds of rockets and thousands of bombs launched into densely populated zones where about two million people live within a compact territory of 365 square kilometers.
Conflicts with Lebanon
Lebanese groups and allied factions have carried out cross-border incidents, including attacks on military and civilian targets near the border town of Shtula. In response, Israel closed the border region and quarantined an area near Lebanon, restricting public access. On the international stage, talks continued with regional partners. The Iranian foreign minister met with Hamas leadership in Doha, where he warned that if violence continues in Gaza, regional options could be explored. He stated that Tehran would work to curb what he described as war crimes by the Zionist authorities, signaling a broader regional stance.
As people strive to protect their lives in Gaza, voices condemn what many describe as ethnic cleansing. Reports from civil registries indicate that several Palestinian families were displaced or removed from records during a short span, and ongoing bombardments have led to the disappearance of dozens of families across the territory. The situation has drawn urgent concern from human rights observers and diplomats alike, who emphasize the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe if fighting continues at this scale. A UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories warned that the international community must act decisively to prevent a repetition of past tragedies. She or he emphasized that preventing further harm in such volatile circumstances is a shared obligation for the global community.