Israel Intensifies Gaza City Offensive, Halting Aid as Civilian Crisis Deepens

Israel has announced it will imminently reduce or cease humanitarian aid deliveries to northern Gaza as it prepares to expand its offensive into Gaza City, aiming to dismantle Hamas. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, confirmed plans to halt airdrops over Gaza City in the coming days and decrease aid truck access to the northern Strip, preceding efforts to encourage the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents southward.

Meanwhile, seven Israeli soldiers sustained injuries over the weekend when their armored personnel carrier struck an explosive device in north Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood. One soldier is in moderate condition, with six others lightly wounded. This incident follows Israel’s declaration of Gaza City as a combat zone on Friday, citing it as a Hamas stronghold with an active tunnel network despite prior large-scale operations over the nearly two-year conflict.

Further escalating the situation, Israel on Friday announced that its recently implemented “humanitarian pauses”—10-hour localized halts in military activity for aid distribution—would no longer apply to Gaza City. These pauses were part of measures introduced last month amid soaring food prices and international alarm over growing starvation in Gaza, which also included new aid corridors and airdrop operations.

The shift comes weeks after Israel first revealed intentions to broaden its offensive in Gaza City, where approximately one million people are sheltering. Military operations and strikes on the city’s outskirts have intensified recently. The precise timing for the aid halt and cessation of airdrops remains unclear, though airdrops have been absent for several days across Gaza, breaking a pattern of almost daily deliveries.

The Red Cross on Saturday condemned any Israeli efforts to evacuate Gaza City, deeming the idea “unfeasible” and “incomprehensible” due to the dire humanitarian conditions. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee has urged Palestinians to evacuate south, calling it “inevitable,” but aid groups warn of a catastrophic exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis. Despite Israeli warnings, security officials noted on Saturday that the evacuation of Gaza City is proceeding much slower than anticipated, with only about 10,000 people estimated to have moved south in the three weeks since Israel announced plans to empty the city.

The planned offensive faces fierce opposition from hostages’ families, who fear for their loved ones’ lives, and international outcry over potential civilian consequences. The Hamas-run civil defense agency reported intense Israeli strikes in Gaza City’s Sabra, Zeitoun, and Sheikh Radwan districts over the weekend. Residents described “insane” bombardments and suffocating smoke, with many unable to evacuate due to a lack of safe alternatives.

Health officials at Al-Awda Hospital reported four deaths from Israeli gunfire among people seeking aid on Saturday. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry added that 15 people were killed and 206 wounded seeking aid in the past 24 hours, alongside 10 deaths from starvation and malnutrition, including three children. The ministry claims 332 Palestinians, including 124 children, have now died from malnutrition-related causes during the war, though these figures are unconfirmed. Israel denies targeting aid seekers but acknowledges firing warning shots at those deemed to endanger troops.

In a separate development, former British prime minister Tony Blair reportedly informed US President Donald Trump in a recent meeting that Gazans desire new leadership and hope for the enclave to develop similarly to the UAE. Trump, who presided over a policy meeting on the Gaza war, discussed escalating food aid, the hostage crisis, and post-war plans. Blair’s institute polling from May reportedly showed that 35% of Gazans believe the Palestinian Authority should govern post-war, with 27% favoring a transitional international coalition.

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