The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is continuing its offensive in the Gaza Strip and ordered the evacuation of a residential area near the main hospital on Wednesday. The military ordered the evacuation of the area in Deir al-Balalah, located a few hundred meters from the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital.
This is one of the last functioning medical centers in the territory. The military said it would take action against Hamas militants in the area soon.
Israel’s offensive on Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 has displaced the vast majority of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents.
Egypt, meanwhile, is in a unique role as both mediator and victim, as it borders the Gaza Strip.
The leadership said Hamas would not agree to the proposed ceasefire plan for a number of reasons.
In addition to long-standing concerns about whether the deal would actually lead to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and end the war.
“The Americans are offering promises, not guarantees. Hamas will not accept this: the current proposals in practice envisage Hamas releasing the hostages in exchange for a six-week pause in the fighting, without the guarantee of an agreed permanent ceasefire,” said an Egyptian source familiar with the talks.
The current situation in Gaza
Hamas still holds about 110 hostages taken in the October 7 attacks that started the war. Israeli officials estimate that about a third of them have been killed. The militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its counting.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired more than 50 rockets, hitting the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The group said the attack was in response to an Israeli strike deep into Lebanon on Tuesday evening.