- Israel’s Defense Minister declares all remaining Gaza civilians are "terrorists" if they refuse to flee, trapping the sick, poor, and displaced in an impossible choice.
- Evacuation routes and so-called "safe zones" are bombed, with airstrikes killing fleeing families, while Israel blocks all humanitarian aid and forces the Red Cross to suspend operations.
- Trump’s ceasefire proposal demands Hamas surrender Gaza to international control without Palestinian statehood, as Netanyahu secretly plans to keep Israeli forces occupying most of the territory.
- More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed, with starvation, forced displacement, and bombings used as weapons of war in a calculated campaign to make Gaza uninhabitable.
- Legal experts and human rights groups condemn Israel’s actions as war crimes, while global powers remain complicit through silence, funding, and political cover.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a chilling threat to the remaining civilians in Gaza City on Wednesday: flee now or be treated as "terrorists." This grotesque ultimatum comes as Israel’s military offensive tightens its grip on the starving, war-torn enclave, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians—many too sick, weak, or poor to escape—now face an impossible choice: abandon their homes or risk being bombed as "militant supporters."
Katz’s declaration, posted on X, left no room for ambiguity: "This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas terrorists isolated in Gaza City itself, facing the IDF’s ongoing operations at full force. Those who remain in Gaza will be considered terrorists and terror supporters." The message is clear: Israel is not just waging war on Hamas; it is declaring open season on any Palestinian who refuses to be forcibly displaced.
A death sentence for the trapped and vulnerable
Around 400,000 Palestinians have already fled Gaza City since Israel’s latest offensive began, but hundreds of thousands remain, many because they physically cannot leave. Some are too malnourished to walk. Others have no money for transportation. Still others, like the Christian clergy at Gaza City’s Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church, refuse to abandon the displaced families sheltering in their sanctuaries.
Yet Israel’s warning is not just a threat. It’s a death sentence. Those who attempt to flee face Israeli airstrikes along evacuation routes. On Tuesday, a strike on a tent in the al-Mawasi camp—an area Israel had previously designated as "safe"—killed seven Palestinians, including four women and a child. Meanwhile, those who stay behind risk being bombed as "terrorists" in their own homes.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed Wednesday that intensifying warfare had forced it to suspend operations in Gaza City entirely, leaving civilians with no humanitarian lifeline. With more than 66,000 Palestinians already killed and nearly 170,000 wounded in Israel’s nearly two-year campaign, the latest ultimatum ensures the bloodshed will only worsen.
Trump’s ceasefire proposal: A demand for Hamas’s surrender
As Israel’s bombs fall, Hamas is weighing a ceasefire proposal from President Donald Trump that demands the group disarm, relinquish power, and accept international governance over Gaza. The plan, which has received broad international support, offers no path to Palestinian statehood, a key demand of Hamas and the wider Arab world.
A senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, admitted some terms were "unacceptable" but did not elaborate. The group has requested more time to consult with other Palestinian factions. Meanwhile, two militant groups allied with Hamas have already rejected the deal, arguing it would hand Israel de facto control over Gaza.
Netanyahu, however, has made his intentions clear: Israel’s military will remain in "most of Gaza," contrary to the public terms of Trump’s proposal. This contradiction raises serious questions about whether Israel ever intended to negotiate in good faith—or if the plan was merely a PR stunt to shift blame onto Hamas when the killing resumes.
A humanitarian catastrophe by design
The numbers tell a disturbing story. More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, with women and children making up at least half of the dead. More than 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, often multiple times. Starvation is now a weapon of war: at least 455 Palestinians have died from hunger alone, including two more in the past 24 hours.
Israel’s strategy is no secret. Defense officials have openly stated their goal: to destroy Gaza’s infrastructure, ensuring no food, water, or electricity remains. This is not just collective punishment; it is a calculated effort to make life unlivable, forcing Palestinians to leave or die.
Israel’s ultimatum is not just inhumane; it is a violation of international law. Forced displacement is a war crime. Bombing civilians is a war crime. Starving an entire population is a war crime. And yet, the world’s most powerful nations stand by in silence, complicit in this slaughter.
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