Israel Orders Palestinians Out of Gaza City, Warns Those Who Stay Labeled Militants/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel ordered all Palestinians to leave Gaza City, warning that anyone who remains will be treated as a militant supporter. The directive comes amid deadly airstrikes, with at least 16 Palestinians killed Wednesday. Meanwhile, Hamas weighs a Trump-backed peace proposal that could end fighting and free remaining hostages.
Gaza City Evacuation Quick Looks
- Defense Minister Israel Katz issues evacuation order, calls it residents’ “last opportunity”
- At least 16 Palestinians killed in airstrikes across Gaza Wednesday
- Israeli strikes hit school shelter, water tank, homes, and hospital grounds
- Journalist Yahya Barzaq killed, raising total of Palestinian media deaths to 189
- Gaza death toll exceeds 66,000, with nearly 170,000 wounded
- Trump’s 20-point peace plan under review by Hamas, Egypt, and Qatar
- Plan calls for hostage release, Hamas disarmament, humanitarian aid, and Gaza reconstruction
- No mention of Palestinian statehood in U.S. proposal
- 90% of Gaza’s population displaced, food shortages critical
- Flotilla of 50 aid ships sails toward Gaza, faces Israeli naval warnings
Deep Look
Israel Orders Mass Evacuation of Gaza City, Threatens to Treat Those Remaining as Militants
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday delivered an uncompromising ultimatum: all Palestinians must leave Gaza City immediately, or risk being classified as militant supporters and targeted by the full force of Israel’s military.
“This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas terrorists isolated in Gaza City,” Katz declared on X, warning that those who stay “will be considered terrorists and terror supporters.”
The statement comes as Israel continues its offensive aimed at seizing Gaza City, which began last month and has displaced an estimated 400,000 Palestinians. Still, hundreds of thousands remain — many because they cannot afford to leave or are too weak to make the journey south, where makeshift camps now crowd famine-stricken areas.
Airstrikes Strike Schools, Hospitals, Homes
The evacuation order coincided with deadly airstrikes across Gaza:
- Two strikes hit a school sheltering displaced people, killing at least seven, including first responders, according to Al-Ahli Hospital.
- Later, five more were killed when an Israeli strike hit civilians gathered near a water tank in Gaza City.
- Shifa Hospital reported another man killed in his apartment.
- Three more deaths were confirmed at Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza.
- A separate strike wounded two people at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
Earlier, a funeral was held for Palestinian journalist Yahya Barzaq, killed Tuesday while reporting for Turkey’s TRT network. He was among six people killed in that airstrike. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 189 Palestinian media workers have been killed since the war erupted.
Israel’s military offered no immediate comment on the strikes but reiterated that it does not intentionally target civilians, blaming Hamas for embedding in populated areas.
Mounting Casualties and Regional Fallout
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s campaign has killed over 66,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 170,000 since the conflict began. Roughly half of the dead are women and children, though Israel disputes casualty breakdowns, saying Hamas controls the reporting.
The war, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, continues with 48 captives still held in Gaza, about 20 believed alive.
Meanwhile, rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel Wednesday after two projectiles were launched from Gaza, though no injuries were reported.
Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan
Amid the bloodshed, U.S. President Donald Trump has put forward a 20-point peace plan, endorsed by Israel and now under review by Hamas. The proposal demands that Hamas relinquish power in Gaza, disarm, and release all hostages in exchange for:
- Release of Palestinian prisoners
- Guaranteed humanitarian aid flows
- International-led reconstruction of Gaza
The plan stops short of offering a path to Palestinian statehood, angering many Arab leaders. While the Palestinian Authority welcomed the deal, Hamas has yet to respond. Egypt and Qatar — both mediators — said more negotiations are needed.
Support for the plan has come from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia, among others.
Aid Groups Struggle, Flotilla Approaches Gaza
As fighting escalates, 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and food shortages worsen. The International Committee of the Red Cross suspended operations in Gaza City Wednesday, relocating staff southward for safety.
Meanwhile, a flotilla of 50 aid vessels, dubbed the Global Sumud Flotilla, is sailing toward Gaza in a symbolic challenge to Israel’s maritime blockade. Organizers said Israeli naval vessels harassed two ships overnight, and they expect interception before reaching Gaza shores, likely Thursday.
The flotilla left Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 1, and its arrival could spark a high-profile confrontation as it coincides with Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, when Israel traditionally shuts down commerce and public activity.
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