Prolonged combat for Gaza City forewarned by Israeli military forces

In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, negotiations for a ceasefire between Egypt and Qatar are currently underway in an attempt to prevent further escalation. However, recent explosions in Gaza City have caused widespread destruction, forcing some families to flee their homes in panic.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) had ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza's Rafah region last May, citing the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" there. Yet, Israel continued its operations, leading to the near-total destruction of cities like Rafah and Beit Hanun, displacing a significant portion of the population.

The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced plans in July to build a camp in the south of Gaza, initially designed to accommodate 600,000 Palestinians. The proposed camp, dubbed a "humanitarian city," would reportedly not allow residents to leave once resettled.

The Israeli military has continued its operations in the suburbs of Gaza City and in Jabalia, with at least six people killed in Gaza City through Israeli artillery shelling of the Sabra neighborhood since dawn. The United Nations has confirmed a famine in the Gaza administrative district, which includes Gaza City, and Israel has barely allowed humanitarian aid into the coastal region for months.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by Israel and the US, is responsible for distributing rations at a few distribution centers in the south of Gaza. However, security personnel deployed by the GHF and the Israeli military have been reported to open fire on those seeking help, resulting in over 1,000 deaths, according to the United Nations and Palestinian authorities.

Army Chief Eyal Zamir has stressed that a major offensive will only begin once "humanitarian zones" are established for the approximately 1.2 million residents of Gaza City. Yet, there are currently no safe shelter zones in Gaza City, requiring extensive preparations.

The Israeli military has informed the government that the planned offensive on Gaza City could take several more weeks to begin. The countries actively mediating between Israel and Hamas to avoid an offensive incident in Gaza City are the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, working through indirect talks to negotiate a ceasefire or peaceful agreement.

On August 18, 2025, Hamas had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal, but Israel rejected the proposal. The Israeli army wants to first exhaust ongoing negotiations over the release of hostages before launching a major attack, as a major attack could endanger their safety. The Israeli military has warned that the destruction of Gaza City, both above and below ground, could take more than a year.

The situation in Gaza City remains tense and critical, with the humanitarian crisis deepening daily. The international community continues to call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and for the immediate alleviation of the suffering of the people of Gaza City.