Israel plans to cease humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza, intensifying its military operations in Gaza City.

In the heart of the Middle East, the besieged city of Gaza continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis. On Friday, Israel declared Gaza City a combat zone, escalating the ongoing conflict.

Over the past week, more than 23,000 people have been forced to evacuate Gaza City due to renewed bombings, according to the United Nations. Hospital authorities reported at least 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Saturday, including 26 in Gaza City.

The Red Cross has warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City is unfeasible and incomprehensible, given the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical care. Aid groups have echoed this concern, stating that a large-scale evacuation would worsen the existing humanitarian crisis.

Israeli security officials acknowledged that the evacuation of Gaza City is going slower than expected. This is despite Israel's calls for Palestinians to evacuate the city and its efforts to slow down or halt the entry of aid into northern Gaza.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza City is ongoing and severe. The city was confirmed to be in famine earlier this month, with half a million people facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is carrying out an expanded military offensive in Gaza City, which drew international condemnation.

Israel claims that a network of tunnels used by Hamas still remains in Gaza City, despite several previous large-scale raids on the area throughout its nearly 23-month-long offensive.

Amidst the chaos, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric has called for the protection of all civilians. She stated that such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb. The UN has not provided information about the safety or destination of those who have evacuated Gaza City.

Many in Gaza City believe there is nowhere safe to go. Despite this, Spoljaric demanded that all civilians must be protected by international humanitarian law, whether they leave or stay behind, and must be allowed to return home. This plea serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for international intervention in the ongoing crisis in Gaza City.

Israel plans to cease humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza, intensifying its military operations in Gaza City.