Topline
Israel’s military Wednesday asked civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the town of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, which it declared a “humanitarian zone,” as UN officials and a group of Arab states called for an immediate ceasefire in the region in response to an explosion at a Gaza City hospital that killed hundreds a day earlier.
A Palestinian man carries an elderly woman past the site of a deadly explosion at al-Ahli hospital, … [+] in Gaza City.
Key Facts
In its announcement, Israel’s military again urged residents of northern Gaza to evacuate their homes and move to “open areas” in the western part of the Khan Yunis district.
An illustrated map shared by Israeli authorities highlights Al-Mawasi as a “humanitarian zone”, with a military spokesperson saying that international humanitarian aid will be provided to this area “if necessary.”
Israel’s army also accused Hamas of preventing Gaza’s civilian population from evacuating to the south of the country.
Announcement of the humanitarian zone comes after 22 Arab nations at the UN jointly demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and “immediate delivery” of humanitarian aid to the territory.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the Arab states’ demand and called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the conflict to “ease the epic human suffering.”
What We Don’t Know
It is unclear if Israel’s announcement of a humanitarian zone means it has agreed to allow aid to flow from Egypt into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. As of Tuesday night, Egyptian officials said they were still negotiating with Israel about the process and Israeli officials were inspecting all deliveries to ensure they would not benefit Hamas.
Big Number
4,361. That is the estimated death toll from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas as of Tuesday. This includes 3,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, 61 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank and 1,300 Israeli deaths. The number does not yet include the people who were killed in Gaza City’s Ahli Arab Hospital on Tuesday night.
What To Watch For
President Joe Biden arrived in Israel Wednesday and will meet its leaders. A planned trip to Jordan to meet Arab and Palestinian leaders was scrapped after the Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. Commenting on the explosion, Biden said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” by the incident and has directed his national security team “to continue gathering information about what exactly happened.”
Key Background
Hundreds of people were killed in an explosion at the Gaza City hospital on Tuesday night, which Palestinian officials have blamed on Israeli airstrikes, while Israeli officials have blamed errant Palestinian rockets. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 200 people have died from the explosion, which it squarely blamed on Israel’s ongoing airstrikes on the territory. The Israel Defense Forces rejected this allegation, claiming the hospital was struck by a failed rocket launched by the Gaza-based militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Further Reading
Israel Orders 1.1 Million Gaza Residents To Relocate Within 24 Hours, UN Says It’s ‘Impossible’ (Forbes)
UN Body Warns Hospitals Have 24 Hours Of Fuel As Israeli Airstrikes Hit Southern Gaza (Forbes)
