Meanwhile, the military is pushing residents south ahead of the upcoming “Gideon's Chariots II” operation. Aid deliveries to northern Gaza will continue despite the suspension of humanitarian ceasefires announced Friday. Gaza City officials described widespread panic and warned of a “severe humanitarian situation,” while Hamas is discouraging civilians from leaving, claiming the south has no space.
Hamas launched a campaign this week urging residents to remain in northern Gaza to serve as human shields, saying, “Those who leave here only go to paradise.” City officials countered that hundreds of thousands are crowded in central and western Gaza, with minimal access to basic services.
A city spokesperson told Qatar’s Al-Arabi channel: “We cannot provide even the minimum in sanitation. Each person receives less than five liters of water daily for drinking and cleaning. We are facing a total collapse of services.” Hamas warned that casualties will rise sharply if Israel expands its military operations.
Next week, residents are expected to receive evacuation orders requiring them to move south before Israel begins a citywide offensive. The first humanitarian ceasefire, lasting 10 hours, was held last month. Israel’s military also began aerial aid drops, with the latest delivered on Tuesday. According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the suspension of ceasefires does not affect ongoing aid deliveries.
Decisions on aid distribution are pending at the political level, and the Israeli military continues current procedures until new orders are issued. The security cabinet is set to convene tomorrow evening to review Gaza operations.
Israel has halted cooperation with UNRWA in Gaza, though the agency says it can provide 6,000 trucks of aid from fully stocked warehouses in Egypt and Jordan. UNRWA has refused to work with U.S.-backed distribution centers but remains ready to continue operations independently.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Gaza continue. Palestinian reports indicate Israeli drones targeted Sheikh Radwan in northern Gaza City, while airstrikes hit southern targets. Additional reports confirm a series of powerful aerial attacks in the city’s north.
First published: 11:45, 08.30.25