Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:Reuters

Fear and uncertainty have gripped Gaza City as thousands of Palestinians flee their homes ahead of what many believe will be a large-scale Israeli ground offensive. Eastern neighborhoods of the city, once filled with families, small businesses, and schools, are now under constant bombardment. Smoke rises daily from destroyed streets, and residents, carrying whatever belongings they can, are moving westward and southward in search of temporary safety.

The exodus marks yet another chapter in a war that has dragged on for nearly two years, leaving Gaza shattered and its people displaced time and again. Families who had already lost their homes in earlier offensives are now being forced to move again, some for the third or fourth time.

The Fear of a Major Invasion

Israel has signaled that Gaza City is its next main target. Officials describe it as the “last major urban bastion” of Hamas, the group that has controlled Gaza for nearly two decades. Already, the Israeli military holds around 75% of the strip. Yet commanders acknowledge that a full assault on Gaza City carries serious risks.

Hostages remain in underground tunnels or secret locations within the city, and a sudden military push could endanger their lives. Guerrilla-style warfare in narrow streets and densely packed alleys could also trap soldiers in drawn-out battles with heavy casualties on both sides.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken publicly about the importance of taking Gaza City, calling it a decisive step to weaken Hamas once and for all. However, his plan has stirred unrest inside Israel itself. In recent days, huge protests have filled the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities. Tens of thousands of demonstrators, including families of hostages, have urged the government to prioritize a ceasefire deal that would secure the release of the roughly 50 remaining captives instead of pressing forward with the assault.

One father, Dani Miran, whose son Omri has been a hostage since October 7, voiced the fear shared by many. “I’m scared my son will be hurt if they go in with tanks and airstrikes. We need a deal, not more fighting,” he said during a public gathering in Tel Aviv.

Gaza’s Humanitarian Collapse

While debate continues inside Israel, in Gaza the reality on the ground is worsening by the day. Entire districts of Gaza City have turned into ghost towns. Hospitals that remain standing are overwhelmed with the injured, lacking fuel for generators and basic medicines. Food supplies are nearly gone, and the little aid that enters is not enough to meet the needs of the displaced.

Human rights groups warn of famine conditions. Aid workers accuse Israel of using food as a weapon by tightly restricting deliveries. “The people of Gaza are being deliberately starved,” one rights monitor recently said.

Shelter is another pressing crisis. Ahmed Mheisen, who oversees emergency shelters in the war-hit northern suburb of Beit Lahiya, reported that nearly 1,000 families left in just a matter of days. His estimate is that 1.5 million tents are urgently needed across Gaza, but only about 120,000 were brought in during a short ceasefire earlier this year.

The United Nations confirmed that more than 1.35 million people already lack adequate shelter. Schools, mosques, and even half-ruined buildings are now being used as temporary homes. Families sleep under tarps or in the open air. For many, each relocation feels like moving closer to nowhere.

Businessman Tamer Burai from Gaza City described his despair in blunt words: “We are like people waiting for an execution. Every moment we expect it to begin. I cannot risk staying any longer, so I’m taking my parents and children to the south. It is not safer, but at least it feels like we are trying.”

Calls for Ceasefire and Protests in Gaza

Inside Gaza itself, discontent is rising not just against Israel but also against Hamas. Citizens, weary of endless destruction, are pressing the group’s leadership to pursue serious negotiations. A coalition of labor unions has called for a protest in Gaza City later this week to demand an end to the war. Social media posts by activists show anger and exhaustion, urging Hamas to accept a ceasefire before it is too late.

The last round of negotiations in July ended in failure, with each side blaming the other. But today, with Israeli tanks preparing for a possible advance, mediators from Egypt and Qatar are stepping up their efforts.

Diplomacy in Cairo

Sources close to the talks say delegations from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other factions met Egyptian and Qatari envoys in Cairo. No significant breakthrough has been reported, but officials revealed that Hamas has shown new flexibility.

According to one source, the group is prepared to consider a U.S.-backed plan for a 60-day truce. Under this proposal, Hamas would release half of the hostages, while Israel would pause its offensive and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

At the same time, Hamas leaders are pushing for a broader deal that would not only halt fighting but also set conditions for ending the war altogether. For the mediators, this may be the last real opportunity to prevent the looming disaster in Gaza City. One described the current talks as a “last-ditch attempt.”

International Pressure Mounts

The international community is watching anxiously. Neighboring Egypt fears that a new assault on Gaza City could push hundreds of thousands of desperate refugees toward its border. Qatar continues to act as a go-between, though progress is slow and fragile.

Western governments remain divided. Some back Israel’s right to act against Hamas, while others warn that an invasion of Gaza City will lead to massive civilian casualties. The humanitarian costs, they argue, could destabilize the entire region and ignite further unrest.

The Human Side of the War

Behind the statistics and political debates are millions of human stories of fear, loss, and endurance. Families in Gaza carry their children through rubble-strewn streets, holding white cloths in their hands to signal they are civilians. Many walk past destroyed homes they once lived in, now reduced to piles of concrete and dust.

Elderly parents cry as they leave behind family graves. Young children ask questions their parents cannot answer: Where will we sleep tonight? When can we go home?

Inside Israel, the pain of hostage families adds another layer of tragedy. For them, every day without news from Gaza is a day of torment. They face the impossible balance of demanding freedom for their loved ones while watching a war unfold that could seal their fate.

A War Without End?

The conflict began with the devastating October 7, 2023, attacks, when Hamas and allied fighters stormed across the border, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and taking hundreds hostage. The attack shocked Israel and set off this prolonged war, which has since reduced Gaza to ruins. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and more than two million residents are trapped in the enclave under siege.

Now, as Gaza City faces the threat of a final assault, the choices before both sides are stark: either accept a compromise through negotiations or plunge deeper into bloodshed.

For Palestinians fleeing south, for Israelis marching in protest, and for mediators rushing between meetings in Cairo, the clock is ticking. Every day without an agreement brings Gaza closer to an even larger catastrophe.

As one displaced resident put it: “We do not want to die as shadows under rubble. We want to live as human beings again.”