On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Israel issued what it called a final warning for all remaining Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, dramatically escalating its campaign amid ongoing conflict with Hamas. The move, which Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described as the "last opportunity" for civilians to escape, came as the Israeli military tightened its encirclement of the densely populated urban center. At the same time, Hamas was weighing a new proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending nearly two years of war and returning captives taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that initially set the conflict ablaze.
According to The Associated Press, Katz declared, "This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south." He warned that anyone who remained would be considered a militant supporter and would face the "full force" of Israel's latest offensive. The Israeli military had already seized the Netzarim corridor, a strategically vital strip linking central Gaza to the western coast, effectively tightening its grip and further isolating Hamas operatives in Gaza City. Katz's message was unambiguous: those who stayed behind would be treated as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers.
Heavy bombardment was reported throughout Gaza City as the Israeli army prepared for an expanded ground operation, with witnesses describing intense shelling and airstrikes. NPR reported that Israel's order was clear: all residents must leave to make way for the expanded operation, and anyone who did not would be treated as a Hamas member or sympathizer. The streets quickly filled with families fleeing in haste, some on foot, others in overloaded vehicles, desperate to escape the violence.
For many, however, leaving was not a real option. As reported by The Associated Press, around 400,000 Palestinians have already fled Gaza City since Israel launched its major offensive last month, but hundreds of thousands remain. Many are simply unable to afford the journey or are too weak to make the trek south to the sprawling tent camps. The road out of Gaza City was packed with people carrying only what they could manage. One resident, Hussein al-Del, recounted, "We left barefoot. The Israelis were striking at random, with no mercy for anyone. We left behind our food, our furniture, blankets, and everything. We left only with our souls."
The cost of the offensive has been devastating for civilians. At least 21 Palestinians were killed across the territory on October 1, 2025, according to local hospitals. In one particularly tragic incident, two Israeli strikes just minutes apart hit a school in Gaza City that was sheltering displaced people. Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties, reported that at least seven people, including first responders, were killed and more than three dozen wounded. Elsewhere in the city, five Palestinians were killed in a strike near a drinking water tank, and another man died when his apartment was hit. Central Gaza was not spared either—strikes killed eight people, and a tent in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah was also struck, seriously wounding two, according to hospital officials.
The violence has taken a heavy toll on journalists as well. On Wednesday, dozens gathered at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital to mourn Yahya Barzaq, a Palestinian freelance journalist killed in an airstrike while working for the Turkish broadcaster TRT. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that more than 189 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the war began. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Wednesday's strikes or the attack that killed Barzaq.
Israel maintains that it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for civilian casualties, accusing the group of embedding its fighters in heavily populated areas. The Israeli military also reported that at least seven projectiles were launched into Israel from Gaza on October 1, 2025, but all were either intercepted or landed in open areas, resulting in no casualties. Despite its losses, Hamas has managed to continue sporadic attacks, though its military capabilities are said to be vastly depleted.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have gained new urgency. Hamas is currently considering a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, which was announced after Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on September 29, 2025. The 20-point plan, which has received broad international support, calls for Hamas to release hostages, disarm, and step down from power in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and an end to fighting. It also guarantees the flow of humanitarian aid and promises reconstruction under international governance—but crucially, it does not set a path to Palestinian statehood.
Reactions to the Trump plan have been mixed. A senior Hamas official told The Associated Press that while the group is considering the proposal, there are "some points in the proposal that are unacceptable and must be amended." The official added that a formal response would only come after consultations with other Palestinian factions. Egypt's Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty echoed this sentiment, saying the proposal requires more negotiations on certain elements. Qatar, another key mediator, issued similar remarks, reflecting broader Arab discontent with aspects of the plan.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. With the city under siege and food, water, and medical supplies running dangerously low, the exodus southward has only added to the suffering. Displaced families now crowd into makeshift tent camps, scavenging for firewood and plastic to survive. The United Nations and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of famine and the risk of disease as basic services collapse.
As the world watches, the conflict shows no sign of abating. Thursday, October 2, marks Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and Israel will shut down businesses, public transport, and broadcasting as the sun sets. Yet, for the people of Gaza, there is little respite. The road ahead remains uncertain, with lives uprooted and hopes for peace resting on fragile diplomatic efforts and the willingness of all sides to make hard compromises.
In the face of mounting casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis, the latest evacuation order marks a new and perilous chapter in a war that has already exacted a heavy toll on both sides. As negotiations continue and the world waits for answers, the fate of Gaza's civilians hangs in the balance—caught between the relentless machinery of war and the elusive promise of peace.
