Israel has warned of a major escalation in Gaza if ongoing negotiations for a 60-day ceasefire and hostage exchange collapse. According to Axios, senior Israeli officials said preparations are underway for a wider offensive targeting central Gaza, including Gaza City and Jabaliya.
On Monday, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for parts of Gaza City, urging residents to flee what it described as “danger zones.” A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Axios, “We’ll do to Gaza City and the central camps what we did to Rafah. Everything will turn to dust.”
In #Gaza, hunger is being weaponised.
People are fainting in the streets from hunger.
There is not enough water to drink.The siege must be lifted.
Safe, UN-led aid delivery, including UNRWA, must be urgently reinstated. pic.twitter.com/otIeTOmx9F— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 2, 2025
The statement comes as diplomatic efforts intensify. US President Donald Trump claimed Israel has accepted the ceasefire terms and urged Hamas to reciprocate. However, neither side has released an official response.
The hostage negotiations are reportedly being mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Observers say any delay or rejection by Hamas could result in a full-scale Israeli military expansion across the Gaza Strip—where infrastructure and civilian life have already been devastated since the war began in October 2023.
Red Cross Raises Alarm Over Civilian Casualties
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a stark warning on Tuesday, highlighting the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly in Gaza City and Jabaliya. According to the ICRC, recent Israeli military operations have caused dozens of civilian casualties in just 36 hours.
“The intensifying hostilities are putting unbearable pressure on Gaza’s already crippled healthcare system,” the ICRC said in its statement. Months of bombing, fuel shortages, and restrictions on humanitarian aid have left most hospitals non-functional or severely damaged.
There used to be 400 aid distribution points across the #Gaza Strip, coordinated by the UN, including UNRWA, and other humanitarian organisations.
The current GHF scheme is degrading. “Starving people have to go many miles only to get very little food – and on top of that they… pic.twitter.com/Kgp3zX0qJ1
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 2, 2025
With the war now entering its tenth month, the civilian population continues to bear the brunt. “Medical workers are exhausted, hospitals are overwhelmed, and patients are dying from preventable conditions due to the lack of supplies,” the ICRC added.
Trump Claims Israel Agrees to 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire, Urges Hamas to Respond
Reports from local health authorities indicate that many patients with chronic illnesses—such as cancer, kidney failure, and heart conditions—can no longer receive lifesaving treatment. Surgical wards and intensive care units are functioning with minimal staff, no anesthesia, and almost no medication.
UNRWA: ‘Hunger Is Being Weaponised in Gaza’
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has sounded the alarm over what it calls the “man-made catastrophe” unfolding in Gaza. In a public statement posted to social media, the agency said, “We are seeing carnage in Gaza. Hunger is being weaponised. Forced displacement has become a death sentence. People are desperate to survive.”
According to UNRWA, food deliveries have slowed to a trickle, and malnutrition is spreading rapidly among children and the elderly. The agency blames Israel’s blockade policies for turning Gaza into an unlivable war zone.
Aid groups report that residents are digging through rubble in search of food and clean water. Meanwhile, overcrowded UN shelters are running out of space, with many lacking electricity and sanitation.
Despite mounting pressure from international organizations, including the UN and Red Cross, a durable ceasefire remains elusive. If talks collapse, Israel’s threat to expand military action could plunge Gaza into an even deeper humanitarian crisis.
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