The Israeli military has issued what it described as its final warning for Gaza City residents to flee south, as it intensified its bombardment of the city on Wednesday. Defence minister Israel Katz said the warning was the last opportunity for people to move to southern Gaza, adding that those who remain 'will be considered terrorists and terrorist supporters'. The International Committee of the Red Cross announced it had suspended operations in Gaza City due to the intensification of the assault.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli forces had killed at least 46 people on Wednesday, including 36 in Gaza City. International humanitarian law experts have said that evacuation orders amount to forced displacement and that civilians who remain do not lose their protected status under international law. The Israeli military also closed the last remaining route for residents in southern Gaza to move north, effectively cleaving the strip in two.
Meanwhile, Hamas is reportedly considering requesting amendments to Donald Trump’s ceasefire ultimatum, which demands the group disarm and disqualifies it from any governing role in Gaza. According to a Palestinian source close to the group, Hamas could seek changes to clauses related to disarmament and the expulsion of its members, as well as international guarantees that Israel fully withdraws and that no assassination attempts are made on its leadership. Egypt and Qatar have said elements of the plan require further negotiation.
Trump’s 20-point plan also stipulates that Hamas must release the remaining 48 hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire, while Israel would return nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and gradually withdraw to a buffer zone. The plan does not outline a path to a Palestinian state. Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video that the Israeli military would stay in most of Gaza, contrary to the plan’s public terms. Two militant groups allied with Hamas have rejected the proposal, arguing it would hand Israel virtual control over the strip.
