The people of Gaza face a new threat as Israeli forces prepare to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza City to the southern part of the Strip, just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a renewed offensive against the city and al-Mawasi. Despite Israeli claims that the United Nations would provide aid to the displaced, UN officials have not confirmed participation, emphasising that the proposed relocation of over a million people is entirely unacceptable and lacks international legitimacy. Humanitarian experts warn that thousands of families already living under dire conditions could be pushed to the brink if the displacement proceeds.

Over the past week, violence has escalated across Gaza City. Heavy aerial and tank fire has targeted Zeitoun and Shujayea, with drone strikes in Asqaula killing two and wounding several, while an attack near al-Alami Mosque claimed another life. Even areas previously considered “safe zones” have been struck. In al-Mawasi, a supposed humanitarian corridor became the scene of tragedy when an air raid killed Motasem al-Batta, his wife, and their two-and-a-half-month-old daughter, leaving neighbours grieving the child’s death. Meanwhile, malnutrition continues to claim lives: the Health Ministry reports 251 deaths from starvation, including 11 in the last 24 hours.

Gaza’s medical facilities are overwhelmed. At al-Shifa Hospital, wards are filled with malnourished patients, while doctors face critical shortages of food, medicine, and clean water, forcing them to amputate limbs under inadequate conditions. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 14,800 patients require urgent care unavailable inside the enclave, and 40,000 infants are suffering from severe malnutrition, with aid groups reporting that only 10 per cent of daily food needs are being met. “The health system is collapsing day by day, and our capacity is very limited,” said Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network. “The food that enters is barely enough to keep people alive at a minimum level.”