Israel Orders Gaza Evacuations as Offensive Intensifies/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Israeli military has ordered evacuations in parts of Gaza City as its offensive against Hamas intensifies. The UN says Israel’s blockade is worsening a maternal health crisis, while rare protests have emerged in Gaza against Hamas. Tensions continue to rise as ceasefire negotiations remain stalled.
Gaza Evacuation Quick Looks
- Israeli forces order evacuations in Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa, and other Gaza City neighborhoods
- Renewed offensive follows collapse of ceasefire and Hamas refusal to release hostages
- UN warns blockade is creating a severe shortage of maternal health supplies
- Gaza’s Health Ministry says over 50,000 killed since war began
- Gaza residents hold rare protest blaming Hamas for prolonging conflict
- Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal’s assault draws silence from U.S. film academy
- Hospital director held without charges has detention extended
- Israel insists pressure will continue until hostages are released, Hamas disarmed
Israel Orders Gaza Evacuations as Offensive Intensifies
Deep Look
GAZA CITY (Newslooks/AP) — The Israeli military ordered evacuations in several parts of Gaza City on Wednesday as it resumed heavy strikes against Hamas militants, intensifying pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages and force Hamas into a ceasefire.
Residents in Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa, and nearby neighborhoods were instructed to evacuate immediately as Israeli forces warned of imminent operations in response to recent rocket fire. The move marks a significant escalation just days after a surprise wave of airstrikes shattered a ceasefire agreement and killed hundreds.
A Renewed Push Against Hamas
Israel has declared it will escalate military pressure until Hamas agrees to return the remaining 59 hostages—of whom only 24 are believed to still be alive—and agrees to disarm and exile its leadership. Hamas, however, has insisted that no hostages will be released without a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The war, now in its 17th month, began after Hamas launched a brutal cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has resulted in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, though the breakdown between civilian and militant casualties remains unknown.
UN: Maternal Health in Gaza at Breaking Point
Amid the escalating conflict, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warned of a critical shortage of maternal health supplies due to Israel’s tightened aid blockade.
With food and medical goods blocked since early March, over 15,000 pregnant women are now at heightened risk due to malnutrition and lack of care. More than 520 newborns—one in five—have required advanced medical support, including incubators and neonatal treatment, which is now scarce.
The UNFPA said supplies, including ultrasound machines, midwifery kits, and incubators, remain stuck at Gaza’s border crossings, as Israel maintains the siege to pressure Hamas.
Gaza Hospital Director Held Without Charges
In a separate development, Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, a prominent hospital director in northern Gaza, will remain in Israeli detention for at least six more months, according to human rights group Al Mezan.
Abu Safiya was arrested during a December raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, held for 47 days without access to legal counsel, and still faces no formal charges. Israeli prosecutors reportedly submitted classified evidence claiming he poses a security threat.
Israel has raided multiple hospitals during the war, accusing Hamas of using them as operational bases—an allegation hospital staff and human rights groups vehemently deny.
Rare Public Protests Against Hamas
In an unprecedented move, Palestinian residents of Beit Lahiya held a protest on Tuesday against both the ongoing war and Hamas rule in Gaza. Protesters carried signs reading “Stop the War” and “Hamas Out!” — a bold act of dissent in a territory tightly controlled by the militant group.
Footage shared online showed protesters being dispersed, reportedly by Hamas supporters. The protest highlights growing frustration among civilians, many of whom blame Hamas for prolonging the conflict and refusing compromise.
Film Academy Under Fire for Silence on Filmmaker’s Detention
The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is facing backlash for refusing to condemn the assault and detention of Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.
His Israeli co-director, Yuval Abraham, said the Academy privately declined to issue a public statement because the attack involved “other Palestinians,” a stance Abraham criticized as a dismissal of Ballal’s targeting as both a filmmaker and a Palestinian under occupation.
The European Film Academy, in contrast, expressed solidarity with Ballal. Israeli officials have denied that he was beaten.
What Comes Next?
While the U.S. continues to push for a new ceasefire through indirect talks, mutual distrust between Israel and Hamas—coupled with deepening humanitarian catastrophe—suggests that a lasting resolution remains elusive.
With aid blockades in place, civilian suffering growing, and diplomatic efforts strained, the region appears set for more violence and fewer options in the near term.
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