As the Israeli military intensifies its campaign in Gaza, more than one million Palestinians remain in Gaza City and its northern regions, steadfastly refusing to evacuate despite mounting pressure, bombardments, and the threat of forced displacement. According to the Gaza Media Office, this population includes over 350,000 children who, alongside their families, have chosen to stay on their land, rejecting what they describe as a scheme of permanent removal from their homes. The situation has reached a critical juncture, with Israel’s ongoing offensive described by local authorities as both a humanitarian and legal crisis, drawing urgent calls for international intervention.
On September 13, 2025, the Gaza Media Office issued a statement highlighting the resilience of more than one million residents in Gaza City and the north, who have resisted evacuation orders to move southward. The office emphasized, “We affirm that more than one million Palestinians, including over 350,000 children, remain in Gaza City and the north, steadfast in their land, homes, and properties, and rejecting outright the scheme of forced displacement to the south.” This defiance comes even as the Israeli military continues what the office calls a “barbaric aggression and genocide,” with the stated aim of permanently displacing Palestinians—a move widely condemned as a violation of international law.
Israeli military operations have dramatically reshaped the landscape of Gaza. Since October 2023, more than 64,700 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. The city and its surroundings have been battered by airstrikes and ground incursions, and essential services have collapsed. Food supplies have been cut off, and the infrastructure is in ruins. The Israeli army claims its campaign targets Hamas militants and military infrastructure, yet civilian casualties and displacement continue to rise sharply.
The scale of forced movement is staggering. Israeli sources cited by the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) report that around 250,000 Palestinians from Gaza City have headed south following intensified offensive operations and evacuation orders. Nearly 300,000 residents have been displaced from eastern neighborhoods toward the city’s central and western parts, as bombardments have made entire districts uninhabitable. Yet, monitoring teams have observed a reverse flow: more than 20,000 people who initially fled south under threat and bombardment have returned north, citing the lack of basic necessities in the so-called safe zones.
The al-Mawasi area, designated by Israel as a “humanitarian and safe” zone, has become a focal point for these displaced populations. More than 800,000 people have been forced into this area, which, according to the Gaza Media Office, lacks real hospitals, infrastructure, or basic services such as tents, shelter, water, food, electricity, and education. The area, which constitutes less than 12% of Gaza’s total land, has been bombed over 109 times, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths. “Israel falsely claimed it was humanitarian and safe,” the media office stated, underscoring the dire conditions faced by those crammed into this narrow strip of land.
Despite these hardships, the Israeli military continues to expand its operations. Forces of the 162nd Division are reportedly operating on the outskirts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and in Jabalia, destroying dozens of military infrastructures and tunnels hundreds of meters long, according to statements from the Israeli army. Airstrikes have demolished buildings in Al-Shati camp and bombed the Al-Shifa area west of Gaza City. The army has also issued warnings to international organizations, instructing them to evacuate nine headquarters and buildings—including UNRWA clinics—located in densely populated areas, in advance of planned bombings.
The humanitarian toll is immense. On September 13, Israel’s civil defense agency reported that around 50 people were killed in Gaza City during military operations that day alone. The Gaza Health Ministry reported 47 deaths over the prior 24 hours, as strikes continued across the north, targeting high-rises and residential complexes. The United Nations and human rights groups have criticized Israel’s evacuation tactics and designated shelter zones, warning that cramming more than 1.7 million people into less than 12% of the enclave’s area is both dangerous and unsustainable.
The international response has been mixed, with growing frustration and concern over the escalation. On the evening of September 11, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting to address the Israeli attack on Doha, which targeted leaders of Hamas engaged in ceasefire talks. According to Politico, this attack has complicated ongoing negotiations, with some U.S. officials expressing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they suspect of deliberately undermining diplomatic efforts. “Every time there’s progress, he bombs someone,” one source told Politico, reflecting the deepening rift between allies.
Meanwhile, regional tensions are rising. The United Arab Emirates condemned the Israeli attack on Qatar, with a UAE official telling Bloomberg that Abu Dhabi sees Israel increasingly as a threat to regional stability. Egypt has requested non-aggression guarantees from Israel following the Doha attack, while Lebanon and Syria have also reported increased Israeli military activity along their borders. In Lebanon, Israeli raids and drone strikes have injured Lebanese Army soldiers and targeted vehicles in the south, further stoking fears of a broader conflict.
Inside Israel, political and military debates are intensifying. Prime Minister Netanyahu, who signed an agreement on April 11, 2025, to expand settlements near Jerusalem, has reiterated his stance that “no Palestinian state will be established.” He declared, “What began in Gaza will end in Gaza, and we will defeat Hamas. We are working resolutely on all fronts to achieve one goal: the eternity of Israel.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed this sentiment, stating, “We will soon bless the implementation of sovereignty throughout the West Bank.” These declarations have drawn sharp criticism from Palestinians and international observers, who warn of the devastating consequences for the region’s stability and prospects for peace.
On the ground, the situation remains fluid and perilous. Despite repeated Israeli orders to evacuate, thousands of Gaza City residents have refused to leave their homes, even as food supplies dwindle and airstrikes intensify. The Israeli government has announced plans to take control of Gaza City and hold it, believing that Israeli hostages may still be held inside. However, after 23 months of continuous attacks, Israeli forces have struggled to fully capture the city, clearing outlying suburbs but facing fierce resistance in the densely populated urban center.
The human cost of the conflict continues to mount. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants have been displaced at least once since the war began in October 2023. The true death toll is believed to be even higher than official counts, as many victims remain buried beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. As the world watches, the people of Gaza endure unimaginable hardship, clinging to their homes and their hope for safety and dignity on their own land.