The Israeli military said on Wednesday it was opening an additional route for 48 hours that Palestinians could use to leave Gaza City as it stepped up efforts to empty the area of civilians and confront thousands of Hamas troops.
Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city and many are reluctant to follow Israel's orders to move south because, they say, the dangers along the way, the dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area, and fear of permanent displacement.
"Even if we want to leave Gaza City, is there any guarantee we would be able to come back? Will the war ever end? That's why I prefer to die here, in Sabra, my neighbourhood," Ahmed, a school teacher, said by phone.
At least 30 people were killed across the Strip on Wednesday in Israel's latest strikes, including 19 in Gaza City, local health authorities said.
A day after Israel announced the launch of a ground offensive to seize control of the main urban centre, tanks had moved short distances towards the city's central and western areas from three directions, but no major advance was reported.
An Israeli official said military operations were focused on getting civilians to head south and that fighting would intensify over the next month or two.
The official said Israel expected around 100,000 civilians to remain in the city, which would take months to capture, and the operation could be suspended if a ceasefire was reached with the Hamas militant group.
The prospects of a ceasefire appear remote after Israel attacked Hamas' political leaders in Doha last week, infuriating Qatar, a co-mediator in ceasefire talks.
Despite global criticism of the attack, include criticism from an ally U.S., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will strike Hamas "wherever they are."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his Doha visit said there was "a very short window of time" in which a ceasefire could happen, potentially referring to Israel's statements about stopping Hamas by force.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic response continues to evolve within the European Union. On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed suspending free-trade arrangements for Israeli goods due to the war. However, the measure currently lacks sufficient support among bloc members to pass.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas also proposed a package of sanctions targeting two Israeli ministers, violent settlers, and Hamas members.
It's reported that Netanyahu has said these EU sanctions "won't have much effect."
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The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi that hit the central Philippines on Tuesday has risen to 39 on the island of Cebu, a local government official said.
Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on.
At least 37 people have died and five are missing after devastating floods and landslides hit central Vietnam, officials said Monday, as a new typhoon threatens to worsen the disaster.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not believe the United States is going to war with Venezuela despite growing tensions, though he suggested President Nicolás Maduro’s time in power may be nearing its end.
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead, hundreds injured, and causing significant damage to the city’s famed Blue Mosque, authorities said, warning that the death toll was expected to rise.
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U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday during a press briefing.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday presented state awards to scientists and engineers behind the country’s newest strategic weapons systems, including the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater torpedo, the Kremlin said.
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