The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday following the revelation of Israel’s plans to seize control of Gaza City.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas called for an immediate emergency meeting of the United Nation’s most powerful body in order to stop Israel from escalating its military action in Gaza.
The Israeli political-security cabinet approved Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to take full military control of Gaza City on Thursday.
Netanyahu’s office said that “the IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones”.
Hamas has warned the Israeli government that seizing control of Gaza City would mean “sacrificing” the hostages inside the besieged enclave, with the group declaring the decision a “war crime”.
Netanyahu said that neither Hamas nor the rival Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank would be allowed involvement in the civil administration that will take over.
UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer joined global leaders in condemning the decision to “further escalate its offensive”, adding it “only brings more bloodshed”.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has said the countries that condemn Israel and threaten sanctions "will not weaken our resolve”.
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Key Points
- Israel hits back at global condemnation of military takeover
- UN Security Council to meet Saturday due to Gaza takeover
- International outcry over Netanyahu's Gaza plan
- Starmer: Israeli escalation in Gaza ‘will only bring more bloodshed’
- Netanyahu says he wants Israel to take control of Gaza
Qatar joins Arab nations in condemning Israel move to occupy Gaza
03:00
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Bryony Gooch
Qatar’s foreign ministry has released a statement condemning Israel’s move to occupy Gaza.
The country joins the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other Arab nations in denouncing the decision by Netanyahu’s government, after the Israeli prime minister suggested handing governing duties over the enclave over to Arab forces.
Watch: Former Israeli prime minister calls for end to war in Gaza in critique of Netenyahu
02:00
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Bryony Gooch
Analysis: Netanyahu’s brutal plan for Gaza is a gamble on Israel’s very future
01:00
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Bryony Gooch
Watch: JD Vances disagrees with Starmer's plans to recognize Palestinian state
00:00
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Bryony Gooch
Mapped: How much of Gaza is under military control?
23:00
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Bryony Gooch
UAE condemns Israel's occupation plans
22:30
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Bryony Gooch
The United Arab Emirates is the latest country to condemn Israel’s move to occupy Gaza, according to its state news agency.
The UAE joins the likes of the UK, Iran, Germany, Turkey and Canada in opposing Israel’s latest military expansion.
Israel hits back at global condemnation of military takeover
21:54
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Bryony Gooch
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has said the countries that condemn Israel and threaten sanctions "will not weaken our resolve" ahead of plans to expand its military operation in Gaza.
"Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist that will strike them with great force," he added.
Watch: Families of Israeli hostages protest Netanyahu plan to occupy Gaza
21:38
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Bryony Gooch
‘I don’t know what it would mean’: JD Vance hits out at Starmer’s plans to recognise Palestine
21:23
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Bryony Gooch
Canada: Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City is 'wrong'
21:00
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Bryony Gooch
Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City is "wrong" and will put the lives of the remaining hostages at greater risk, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Friday.
Retired Israeli military chief says if Israel takes Gaza City it will control 85 per cent of the strip
20:40
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Bryony Gooch
The military has said that it controls around 75 per cent of Gaza. Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, estimated that if the military did take Gaza City, it would give Israel control of about 85 per cent of the strip.
"Gaza City is the heart of Gaza. It's really the centre of government. It has always been the strongest and even in the eyes of Hamas, the fall of Gaza City is pretty much the fall of Hamas," said Avivi. "Taking over Gaza City is a game changer."
UN chief calls Gaza takeover 'a dangerous escalation'
20:21
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Bryony Gooch
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday criticized Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, with the U.N. chief's spokesperson saying the decision marked "a dangerous escalation."
International outcry at Netanyahu's Gaza plan
19:59
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Jabed Ahmed
International condemnation is growing after Israel’s cabinet approved a plan to take full military control of Gaza City. Here’s how global leaders have responded:
UK: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the decision is “wrong” and urged Israel to “reconsider immediately.” He warned it “will only bring more bloodshed” and not help secure the release of hostages.
Turkey: The foreign ministry condemned the plan “in the strongest terms” and called on the UN Security Council to intervene. It said each step by Israel “to continue genocide and occupation” undermines global security.
UN: Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said the move contradicts the International Court of Justice’s ruling and “will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering.” He urged Israel to “allow full, unfettered humanitarian aid” and called for hostages to be “immediately and unconditionally released.”
Netherlands: Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called the plan “a wrong move” and said it would not improve Gaza’s “catastrophic” humanitarian situation or help free hostages.
Belgium: Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot summoned the Israeli ambassador, expressing “total disapproval” of the decision and of Israel’s “continued colonization” and “desire to annex the West Bank.”
Denmark: Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the decision was wrong and should be “immediately reversed.”
European Commission: President Ursula von der Leyen said Israel must “reconsider” the expansion of its military operation in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia: The foreign ministry “categorically denounces” Israel’s “crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing,” and condemned any move to take control of Gaza.
Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin will suspend military exports that could be used in Gaza, adding that the decision “makes it increasingly difficult” to see how Israel’s objectives can be achieved. He acknowledged Israel’s right to disarm Hamas but cited growing public pressure over the humanitarian crisis.
Recap | Germany halts military exports to Israel and urges ceasefire in Gaza
19:39
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Jabed Ahmed
The German government will not approve any exports to Israel of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said..
"The German government believes that the even tougher military action in the Gaza Strip decided upon by the Israeli cabinet last night makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved," said Merz in a statement.
"Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice."
Germany's parliament said in June that export licences for military equipment to Israel worth 485 million euros (£420 million) were granted between 7 October 2023 and 13 May 2025.
UN Security Council to meet Saturday due to Gaza takeover
19:38
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Bryony Gooch
The United Nations Security Council will meet on Saturday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to its scheduled released on Friday after Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, earlier on Friday said a number of countries would be requesting a meeting of the UN Security Council on Israel's plans.
The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. ET (1900 GMT) on Saturday, the schedule says.
Nearly a thousand trucks of aid wait to be let into Gaza from Jordan
19:21
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Bryony Gooch
UNRWA has said that nearly 1,000 trucks of food and basic essentials are waiting in Jordan to be allowed into Gaza.
This includes:
- 165 trucks of food items: flour, rice, lentils, canned meat and fish
- 744 trucks of non-food items: hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, clean water kits, blankets, mattresses
- 45 trucks of medicines and medical supplies
In Jordan alone, the total stock of humanitarian aid amounts to:
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 7, 2025
➡️ 165 trucks of food items: flour, rice, lentils, canned meat and fish
➡️ 744 trucks of non-food items: hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, clean water kits, blankets, mattresses
➡️ 45 trucks of medicines and… pic.twitter.com/qW0YPwK2Pz
‘We are heading into the unknown’: Gazan man fears future as displacement looms again
18:58
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Jabed Ahmed
By Nedal Hamdouna, in Gaza
A man from Jabalia has said renewed displacement in Gaza would be “catastrophic”.
Mahmoud Rayhan, 30, who has been displaced nearly 20 times since the war began, said the repeated trauma and deteriorating conditions have left people in Gaza with no future.
“When I heard the news of the Israeli government invading Gaza, I felt scared because we had spent two years in a war, always hoping it would end.
“Every day, they told us there would be good news tomorrow or the day after and that negotiations were underway to reach a solution. But apparently, there is no point, and our displacement again would be catastrophic.”
Mr Rayhan described Gaza as “uninhabitable” and warned that the Strip is collapsing under the pressure of war and mass movement.
“Life in Gaza has become nonexistent. Even the necessities of life are nonexistent, nonexistent. There is no clean water, no sanitation, no food, and no shelter. Things are difficult. We live in an uninhabitable place.”
He added that the spread of disease, food insecurity and rising prices are deepening the crisis, and said displacement leaves families with nothing.
Rayhan, whose wife is pregnant, said he fears for the future of his child and the next generation in Gaza.
“I'm afraid my child will be born in four months amid famine, that he'll be malnourished, and that he'll be born in a harsh displacement. I see children and people who have been injured and malnourished, and I'm afraid my child will be the same.”
“We live in anxiety, tension, and fear of death, displacement, and everything.”
Analysis | Netanyahu’s brutal plan for Gaza is a gamble on Israel’s very future
18:41
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Jabed Ahmed
Displaced Gazan man warns of ‘major catastrophe’
18:21
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Jabed Ahmed
By Nedal Hamdouna, in Gaza
A displaced Palestinian man in Gaza City has warned that a new Israeli ground offensive would trigger a “major catastrophe”, as fears grow over forced displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Rafiq Abu Jarad, 54, told The Independent he is “anxious and tense” as people across Gaza face repeated displacement with nowhere left to go.
“There’s no place in the south because most of the southern areas are also under Israeli control, including Rafah,” he said.
“There are approximately one million people in the south, and here in Gaza, another million. There’s no room, and it will be a major catastrophe for us and for the one million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
He said financial exhaustion and lack of shelter make the prospect of further displacement unbearable.
“I’m worried about another forced displacement, and the reason for my anxiety is that I have nowhere to go. I don’t have the money for displacement because displacement requires transportation, and transportation costs over 1,500 shekels. In addition, there are logistical needs, such as tents, toilets, and tarpaulins.”
“I’m financially exhausted, and I don’t have a tent or any other tent supplies to be displaced again. When a million people leave the Gaza Strip for another location, their living conditions will be extremely uncertain. We don’t know what we’ll do, and we don’t know where there will be space to accommodate us.”
Netanyahu’s plan to take over Gaza sparks anger and threat of sanctions from allies
17:58
,
Bryony Gooch
17:40
,
Jabed Ahmed
Netanyahu tells Merz the goal is not to take over Gaza, but to free the enclave from Hamas
17:23
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Bryony Gooch
The Israeli prime minister’s office has said that Benjamin Netanyahu responded to German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s decision to halt arms exports that Israel can use in Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu said that the goal is not to take over Gaza, but to instead free the enclave from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there.
The announcement of a full military takeover in the war-torn strip has provoked concern from world leaders including Merz and UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Inside Israel’s plan to seize full military control of Gaza
16:59
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew reports from Jerusalem:
Families accuse Israeli government of ‘abandoning hostages’
16:30
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has accused the Israeli government of abandoning captives held in Gaza.
The group said the decision to pursue further escalation ignores repeated warnings from military officials and “the clear will of the majority of the Israeli public”.
“By choosing military escalation over negotiation, we are leaving our loved ones at the mercy of Hamas,” the forum said. “They don’t have any time left. We can’t leave them in the hands of these monsters any longer.”
They warned that deepening the offensive risked a “colossal catastrophe” for both the remaining hostages and Israeli soldiers.
“The cabinet chose last night to embark on another march of recklessness,” it added.
The group, which represents the families of those still missing, reiterated its demand for a comprehensive deal to secure the release of hostages.
“No more futile war. We will not stand by. We demand a comprehensive deal now.”
Full report | I don’t know what Palestinian statehood would look like, says JD Vance as he insists US won’t follow UK’s move
16:21
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Jabed Ahmed
EU's Costa: Israel's Gaza plan 'must have consequences for EU-Israel relations'
15:56
,
Jabed Ahmed
Israel's decision to take over Gaza City "must have consequences for EU-Israel relations", EU Council President Antonio Costa said, adding that this will be assessed by the Council and that he urged the Israeli government to reconsider.
"Not only (does the decision) violate the agreement with the EU announced by the High Representative on July 19 but also undermines fundamental principles of international law and universal values," Costa, who heads the European Council that represents EU member states, added in his statement on X.
Full report | Germany stops Israeli arms exports after Gaza City plans
15:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
US has 'no plans' to recognise Palestinian state, JD Vance says
15:16
,
Jabed Ahmed
US vice president JD Vance said the US has “no plans” to recognise a state of Palestine during a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Chevening House.
He said: “Obviously the United Kingdom’s going to make its decision. We have no plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
“I don’t know what it would mean to really recognise a Palestinian state, given the lack of functional government there.”
He added that the US government’s two goals are “very simple”, saying: “Number one, it’s we want to make it so that Hamas cannot attack innocent Israeli civilians ever again, and we think that has to come through the eradication of Hamas.
“Second, the president has been very moved by these terrible images of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, so we want to make sure that we solve that problem.
“I think all of us can work on how to solve that problem. Obviously, it’s not an easy problem to solve, or it would have already been dealt with, but we share, I think, that focus and that goal. We may have some disagreements about how exactly to accomplish that goal, and we’ll talk about that today.”
International outcry at Netanyahu's Gaza plan
15:00
,
Jabed Ahmed
International condemnation is growing after Israel’s cabinet approved a plan to take full military control of Gaza City. Here’s how global leaders have responded:
UK: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the decision is “wrong” and urged Israel to “reconsider immediately.” He warned it “will only bring more bloodshed” and not help secure the release of hostages.
Turkey: The foreign ministry condemned the plan “in the strongest terms” and called on the UN Security Council to intervene. It said each step by Israel “to continue genocide and occupation” undermines global security.
UN: Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said the move contradicts the International Court of Justice’s ruling and “will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering.” He urged Israel to “allow full, unfettered humanitarian aid” and called for hostages to be “immediately and unconditionally released.”
Netherlands: Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called the plan “a wrong move” and said it would not improve Gaza’s “catastrophic” humanitarian situation or help free hostages.
Belgium: Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot summoned the Israeli ambassador, expressing “total disapproval” of the decision and of Israel’s “continued colonization” and “desire to annex the West Bank.”
Denmark: Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the decision was wrong and should be “immediately reversed.”
European Commission: President Ursula von der Leyen said Israel must “reconsider” the expansion of its military operation in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia: The foreign ministry “categorically denounces” Israel’s “crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing,” and condemned any move to take control of Gaza.
Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin will suspend military exports that could be used in Gaza, adding that the decision “makes it increasingly difficult” to see how Israel’s objectives can be achieved. He acknowledged Israel’s right to disarm Hamas but cited growing public pressure over the humanitarian crisis.
Lammy and JD Vance to discuss situation in Gaza
14:46
,
Jabed Ahmed
David Lammy said he would be discussing the “developing situation in Gaza” and the ongoing war in Ukraine with JD Vance.
Sitting alongside the US vice-president at the start of a bilateral meeting at Chevening House, the Foreign Secretary said: “Of course we will be discussing the developing situation in Gaza, which is a great concern, and of course the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the desire to see that come to an end.”
The pair are due to hold a formal bilateral meeting on Friday afternoon before Mr Vance continues with his holiday.
Starmer facing calls to end all arms sales to Israel
14:37
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Jabed Ahmed
By Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
The prime minister is facing growing calls to end all UK arms sales to Israel.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “Rather than sitting on its hands and issuing strongly worded statements, the UK government needs to take decisive action. Keir Starmer needs to stop the export of all UK arms to Israel - today - and sanction Netanyahu and his cabinet."
MP Brian Leishman, who was suspended from Labour last month, said: “The UK needs to end arms sales to Israel.”
Green MP Ellie Chowns said “The UK must do more than express disapproval: end military cooperation and arms sales, recognise Palestine, demand an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes.”
But former national security adviser Lord Ricketts said the UK had already done what Germany has done “many months ago”.
“They made some exemptions, including parts for the F35 fighter jet for various technical reasons, but they have suspended arms that can possibly be used in Gaza. And they have really taken most of the available steps. The real harsh truth is there is almost nothing the British government can do which is going to influence Netanyahu and his calculations about what to do in Gaza. By all means we should consider every possible step, but that is the reality,” he told the BBC.
Analysis | Netanyahu’s brutal plan for Gaza is a gamble on Israel’s very future
14:25
,
Jabed Ahmed
Our World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley writes:
Benjamin Netanyahu believes he has finally found a solution for Gaza. Total reoccupation of the 365sqkm of territory and the mass evacuation of its population in a “takeover” that mutilates Israel’s internal democracy and risks placing it near the very top of pariah nations.
This a defining moment that could further divide Europe from America – where Donald Trump is reported to have been briefed in advance on the Gaza plan.
Israel’s military and intelligence establishment know that they’re being marched into a trap set by Hamas but on Netanyahu’s instructions.
Read the full analysis below:
Displaced Gazan man warns of ‘major catastrophe’
14:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
By Nedal Hamdouna, in Gaza
A displaced Palestinian man in Gaza City has warned that a new Israeli ground offensive would trigger a “major catastrophe”, as fears grow over forced displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Rafiq Abu Jarad, 54, told The Independent he is “anxious and tense” as people across Gaza face repeated displacement with nowhere left to go.
“There’s no place in the south because most of the southern areas are also under Israeli control, including Rafah,” he said.
“There are approximately one million people in the south, and here in Gaza, another million. There’s no room, and it will be a major catastrophe for us and for the one million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
He said financial exhaustion and lack of shelter make the prospect of further displacement unbearable.
“I’m worried about another forced displacement, and the reason for my anxiety is that I have nowhere to go. I don’t have the money for displacement because displacement requires transportation, and transportation costs over 1,500 shekels. In addition, there are logistical needs, such as tents, toilets, and tarpaulins.”
“I’m financially exhausted, and I don’t have a tent or any other tent supplies to be displaced again. When a million people leave the Gaza Strip for another location, their living conditions will be extremely uncertain. We don’t know what we’ll do, and we don’t know where there will be space to accommodate us.”
Gaza mothers struggle to feed families amid deepening famine: ‘The children remain hungry’
13:57
,
Jabed Ahmed
A single bowl of eggplant stewed in watery tomato juice must sustain Sally Muzhed’s family of six for the day. She calls it moussaka, but it’s a pale echo of the fragrant, layered meat-and-vegetable dish that once filled Gaza’s kitchens with its aroma.
The war has severed families from the means to farm or fish, and the little food that enters the besieged strip is often looted, hoarded and resold at exorbitant prices.
So mothers like Muzhed have been forced into constant improvisation, reimagining Palestinian staples with the meager ingredients they can grab off trucks, from airdropped parcels or purchase at the market.
Read the full report below:
Recap | Palestinian ministry warns Israeli cabinet’s Gaza plan will lead to ‘certain death spiral’
13:44
,
Jabed Ahmed
The Palestinian foreign ministry has warned that the Israeli government’s plan to seize control of the entire Gaza Strip will push civilians into a “certain death spiral”, as it launched a political and diplomatic campaign urging international intervention.
In a statement today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates launched a political, diplomatic, and legal campaign targeting decision-making centers in countries and components of the international community, demanding that they assume their responsibilities regarding the disastrous consequences of the Israeli cabinet’s decisions regarding the occupation of the entire Gaza Strip and the imposition of Israeli control over it.”
“The campaign also warns of the real dangers of these decisions on the chances of survival of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip from a certain death spiral resulting from the implementation of these positions, whether through the escalation of mass killing through bombing or the deepening famine and forced mass displacement of more than one million Palestinians, initially cramming more than two million citizens into less than one-tenth of the Gaza Strip’s area toward their forced displacement in various forms,” it continued.
The ministry accused Israel of waging a war against civilians “without justification”, and condemned the UN Security Council’s failure to act.
“The Ministry believes that the cabinet’s decisions reveal the truth about the occupation’s war against the residents of the Gaza Strip and Palestinian civilians without justification.
“The failure of the UN Security Council to impose an immediate ceasefire, release hostages and prisoners, protect civilians, and stop the crime of starvation has become a cover exploited by the occupation government to implement plans of genocide, displacement, and annexation.”
Gazan mother says she was ‘shocked’ by invasion plan: ‘Why would I be displaced again?’
13:29
,
Jabed Ahmed
By Nedal Hamdouna, in Gaza
A mother in Gaza City has said she will not evacuate her home again, after the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to seize the city as part of its expanding military operation.
Manal Odeh, 50, a mother of three, said she was traumatised by repeated displacement and described the experience as “very difficult and bitter”.
“I was shocked by the news of the approval of the invasion of Gaza. I’ve been talking about it with my neighbours since this morning,” she told The Independent.
I currently refuse to leave my home because I’ve experienced displacement before, and it was a very difficult and bitter experience. Even if they bombed the house over my head, why would I be displaced again?”
“What can I move from my home and belongings, and where? We need a large sum of money to move everything. There’s also no suitable place for human life. The tent experience is difficult; it’s scorching hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I’m in my home now and suffering from the heat. How will my life in a tent be?”
She said women, in particular, suffer severely in displacement.
“As a housewife, we suffer severally. We lack privacy, and life is exhausting for us as women. I was psychologically and physically exhausted during my previous displacement. I was injured by shrapnel in Deir al-Balah, which affected my nerves. I need ongoing physical therapy. As soon as I heard the news, my hands trembled. I was shocked.”
“In addition, there is no safety. They tell us to leave the place, and while we evacuate, people are bombed. I want to leave Gaza completely. I want to survive with my family. I am ready to leave my home and everything I own, but for the sake of safety, I am psychologically destroyed.”
“You flee or evacuate into the unknown. You don’t know where, who your neighbors are, whether they are like you or not. Even the safe zone isn’t safe. I lived for nearly a year in the so-called safe zone in the Mawasi neighborhoods of Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah, which has been bombed hundreds of times and evacuated dozens of times.”
“I have been displaced nine times in the south, and each time, I have paid more than $300. Life is difficult and harsh for us. In a new displacement, there is a struggle for water, food, transportation, and bathrooms, and the south itself is overcrowded. Where we can live or stay.”
David Lammy to host JD Vance at country retreat as US and UK at odds over Gaza conflict
13:14
,
Jabed Ahmed
Saudi Arabia condemns any Israeli move to take control of Gaza
13:13
,
Jabed Ahmed
Saudi Arabia condemns any Israeli move to take control of Gaza, the foreign ministry has said.
The kingdom "categorically denounces Israeli occupation authorities' persistence in committing crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people," it said in a statement.
EU's von der Leyen: Israel must reconsider its plan to extend military operation in Gaza
13:04
,
Jabed Ahmed
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that Israel must reconsider its plan to take control of Gaza City.
"The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered," she wrote on X.
Mapped | How much of Gaza is militarised?
12:58
,
Jabed Ahmed
The uninhabited island being converted into medical facility to treat 2,000 wounded from Gaza
12:41
,
Jabed Ahmed
Belgium summons Israeli ambassador over Gaza plans
12:32
,
Jabed Ahmed
Belgium's foreign minister has summoned the Israeli ambassador, citing Israel's announced plan to occupy Gaza City and take military control of the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the ministry said Belgium wanted to "express (its) total disapproval of this decision, but also of the continued colonisation... and the desire to annex the West Bank," adding that it will "vigorously advocate" for a reversal of this decision.
"Following the official confirmation by the Israeli government of its intention to encircle and then occupy Gaza City and take military control of the entire Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has decided to summon the Israeli Ambassador," it said.
Dutch foreign minister calls Israel's Gaza operation plan a "wrong move"
12:17
