Israel announced on Saturday that it is preparing to relocate Palestinian civilians from active combat zones to southern Gaza, ahead of a planned military operation targeting some of the most densely populated areas in the territory.
COGAT, the Israeli agency managing humanitarian operations in Gaza, said that the delivery of tents would resume on Sunday. While the military has not specified when the relocation will begin, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that planning is in its final stages for what he called the “defeat of Hamas in Gaza.”
At the same time, frustration is growing among Israelis whose relatives are still held hostage. Families of the roughly 50 remaining hostages — only about 20 believed to be alive — are calling for a nationwide protest on Sunday, demanding action from the government. The outcry follows disturbing videos showing emaciated hostages pleading for food and help under clear duress.
The families, supported by some former military and intelligence officials, are urging the Israeli government to reach a deal to end the war. A statement from a representative group called on Israelis to join protests across the country in solidarity with what they called “the most just and moral struggle” — securing the release of all hostages.
Dana Silberman Sitton, who lost multiple family members in captivity, said at a rally in Tel Aviv, “Hope won’t come from the top — it will come from us.” Pushpa Joshi, sister of kidnapped Nepali student Bipin Joshi, added: “I miss my best friend.”
Airstrike Kills Infant and Parents in "Safe" Zone
On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed a baby girl and her parents in the Muwasi area of southern Gaza, according to hospital officials and witnesses. The family was living in a tent in what had been designated a safe zone. “She was just two and a half months old. What did she do?” a neighbor asked, as temperatures soared past 90°F (32°C).
The Israeli military did not comment on the specific strike but reiterated that it targets Hamas infrastructure while trying to avoid civilian casualties.
Muwasi is among several densely populated areas — along with Gaza City and central refugee camps like Nuseirat and Bureij — where Israel plans to expand its operations. Some analysts believe this threat may be a strategy to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages taken during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
Elsewhere, six bodies were brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City from the Zikim area, and four more people were reported killed in shelling.
Malnutrition Crisis Deepens
The Gaza Health Ministry reported 11 more malnutrition-related deaths within 24 hours, including one child, bringing the total to 251 since the war began. The UN warns that starvation and disease levels are the worst seen since the start of the conflict.
A 20-year-old Palestinian woman died in Italy after being transferred from Gaza for emergency medical treatment in a “severely deteriorated” condition, officials said.
Aid delivery remains a major challenge due to Israeli restrictions and desperate crowds. The UN says 1,760 people have been killed while trying to access aid since late May — 766 along aid routes and 994 near “non-UN militarized sites,” a reference to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the U.S.
U.S. Suspends Gaza Visitor Visas
The U.S. State Department announced Saturday that all visitor visas for Gaza residents have been temporarily halted while it investigates the recent issuance of several medical-humanitarian visas.
The war began after Hamas' October 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Israel’s response has killed approximately 61,897 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While it doesn’t separate combatants from civilians, it reports that about half of the casualties are women and children.
Although Israel disputes these figures, the UN and independent experts consider the ministry — staffed by medical professionals — the most credible source of casualty data from Gaza.