Israel accepts US peace proposal, orders evacuation of Gaza city

The Israeli military has ordered all residents of Gaza City to evacuate immediately as it is planning to operate in the area with great force. The Arabic-language spokesman of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) urged those present in all the Gaza City neighbourhoods to relocate to a humanitarian zone. The development comes after Israel’s security cabinet’s last month decision on a controversial plan to take control of the enclave’s most populous city.

Hamas-affiliated media outlets in Gaza report on a protest by dozens of people in Gaza City insisting that they will not leave the city.Public protests are rare in Gaza, and the fact that it was publicized by Hamas media may indicate that the rally was organized by the terror group rather than being a spontaneous demonstration. Israel says Hamas is trying to stop Gazans from leaving the city, hoping to use them as human shields.

Several world leaders have condemned the plan, and the UN has warned that it would lead to more massive forced displacement and more killing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday warned residents of Gaza City to leave immediately, hours after Israel said it would ramp up airstrikes. The Israeli prime minister said forces were now organising and assembling in Gaza City for a ground manoeuvre. International critics say Israel’s plan could deepen the humanitarian plight of the 2.2 million people living there, who are also facing a growing famine.

Meanwhile, Israel “said yes” to US President Donald Trump’s latest proposal for a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says during a press conference in Croatia. “The war in Gaza can end tomorrow,” says Sa’ar. “We are ready to accept a deal that would end this war, based on the cabinet decision,” Sa’ar says. He adds that Israel’s government has two demands for the war to end — the release of all Israelis hostages and Hamas laying down its arms. Hamas’s disarmament “ensures a better future for Gazans, for the Palestinians there,” he continues, calling Hamas “a problem for Palestinians and for the region.”

The US and Israel have yet to detail what the proposal entails, though some purported details have been leaked to the press, including the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and an agreement by Israel not to resume fighting. Channel 12 news reported on Sunday that under the new proposal, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza would be gradual but would take place mostly at the start of the ceasefire. Negotiators would then have 60 days — or as long as it takes — to come to an agreement on the disarmament of Hamas, the specifics of Israel’s withdrawal, and an alternative government for Gaza, according to the network. Sa’ar also praises Lebanon’s government for its cabinet decision to disarm the Hezbollah terror group, calling it “very important for the future of Lebanon and for the region as a whole.”