Israel’s army has called on Palestinians in Gaza City to move to a humanitarian area it designated in the south as it expanded its operations in preparation for seizing the famine-stricken city.

Parts of the city, home to nearly one million people, are already considered “red zones”, where evacuation orders have been issued ahead of expected heavy fighting.

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Aid groups have repeatedly warned that a large-scale evacuation of Gaza City would exacerbate the dire humanitarian crisis.

The humanitarian crisis is deepening in Gaza (AP)

Palestinians have been uprooted and displaced multiple times during the nearly two-year-long war, with many being too weak to move and having nowhere to go.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X that the army declared Muwasi — a makeshift tent camp in southern Gaza Strip — as a humanitarian area and urged everyone in the city, which it called a Hamas stronghold and specified as a combat zone, to leave.

The army said they could travel in cars down a designated road without being searched.

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The military provided a map showing the area in Khan Younis that the humanitarian area encompasses, which includes the block where Nasser Hospital is located.

Famine is gripping Gaza City (AP)

The area around the hospital has been considered a red zone, though not the medical facility itself.

Last week, Israel struck the hospital, killing 22 people, including Mariam Dagga, who worked for The Associated Press and other media outlets. The hospital was not under evacuation.

The designated safe zone would include field hospitals, water pipelines, food and tents, and relief efforts “will continue on an ongoing basis in cooperation with the UN and international organisations”, the statement said.

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Israeli forces have struck humanitarian areas throughout the war, including Muwasi, which they previously declared a safe zone, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The Israeli army has urged people to get out of Gaza City (AP)

The evacuation order came a day after Israel struck a high-rise building in Gaza City, saying Hamas used it for surveillance, without providing evidence.

The war started after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in their attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023. Most have since been released in ceasefires or other agreements.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants but says women and children make up around half the dead.

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Education is a source of hope for #Gaza’s children.

UNRWA has learning kits for nearly 370,000 students stuck in Jordan. These kits are more than just school supplies—they are a bridge back to learning, routine, and hope for children whose lives have been upended by war.

We are… pic.twitter.com/x0fq0zNNfm — UNRWA (@UNRWA) September 6, 2025

The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.

Israel says the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is disarmed, and that it will retain open-ended security control of the territory of some two million Palestinians.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Skip next section Film on last moments of Palestinian girl’s life in contention for Golden Lion

09/06/2025 September 6, 2025 Film on last moments of Palestinian girl’s life in contention for Golden Lion

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” from French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania premiered on Wednesday Image: Marco Piovanotto/ABACA/picture alliance

The 82nd Venice Film Festival wraps up on Saturday evening with the anticipated announcement of the awards still to come.

The festival’s jury, led by director Alexander Payne, is set to announce the top awards.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” by French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania is in contention for a coveted Golden Lion award.

The film tells the story of the last moments in the life of a Palestinian girl named Hind Rajab in the Gaza Strip, who died at the age of 5.

Rajab was killed by Israeli forces while fleeing Gaza City last year.

The film recontructs Rajab’s last moments with the narrative anchored in real emergency call recordings, providing an intimate and harrowing portrayal of the events

When it premiered on Wednesday, it received 23 minutes of applause.

Lebanese Govt Welcomes Army Plan to Disarm Hezbollah, Grants ‘Operational Discretion’

The Lebanese government has welcomed the army’s plan to implement the principle of the “exclusive possession of arms,” through a formula that was met with approval from the “Shiite duo.” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq al-Awsat that “the toxic winds are beginning to clear,” while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed the government’s commitment to continue the process of disarming Hezbollah.

According to information obtained by Asharq al-Awsat, the army’s plan is composed of five stages. The first, spanning three months, aligns with the deadline approved by the cabinet during its August 5 and 7 sessions. This initial phase will focus on completing the disarmament of the area south of the Litani River, while “containing” weapons elsewhere in Lebanon, specifically by prohibiting the carrying and transport of arms nationwide.

In his first comment on the cabinet’s decisions, Berri said, “The situation is positive… I believe the toxic winds are beginning to subside.” He added that the army’s plan helps preserve civil peace.

For his part, Salam stressed to Asharq al-Awsat that the cabinet’s decisions are clear and “allow no room for reinterpretation.” He vowed there would be no turning back on the principle of the state’s monopoly on arms, emphasizing that the government is determined to extend state authority “through its own resources,” in line with the decisions of the August 5 session.

Salam underscored that these steps are “unbound by external conditions,” since they are rooted in the Taif Agreement, the presidential oath of office, and the government’s policy statement. He also pointed to the plan drafted by US envoy Tom Barrack, which was adjusted in agreement with Washington. While its goals were approved by the Lebanese government, Salam noted that implementation requires reciprocity, something Israel has not committed to.

The formula, prepared through presidential consultations in recent days, effectively prevented a cabinet crisis after Shiite ministers walked out of the session the moment Army Commander Gen. Rudolph Haykal entered to present the plan, in an attempt to deprive the decision of “sectarian legitimacy.”

Simultaneously, the Lebanese army deployed reinforcements around Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s stronghold, in anticipation of potential popular backlash to the government’s decision, amid reports of calls for uncoordinated street protests.

Cabinet Resolutions

Information Minister Paul Morcos, reading from the session’s conclusions, stated: “The Council of Ministers heard the presentation by the Army Commander on his plan to enforce the exclusivity of arms. The Council welcomed the plan and its phased approach, in line with the Taif Agreement, relevant accords, the cessation of hostilities declaration, the presidential oath, and the government’s policy statement.”

He added that the cabinet decided to keep the plan’s details and deliberations confidential, while tasking the army command with submitting monthly reports on its implementation.

President Joseph Aoun, who chaired the session, reiterated his condemnation of Israeli attacks and hailed the UNIFIL mandate renewal as a “victory for Lebanon.” He also stressed the importance of holding parliamentary elections on schedule and urged preparations to avoid delays. Aoun expressed condolences to the families of “martyrs, particularly those of the Lebanese army.”

Morcos further relayed that Salam confirmed his efforts to rally Arab and international support to pressure Israel to halt its assaults and withdraw from occupied Lebanese positions.

He said the army would “begin implementing the plan within its available resources,” adding that while the plan is bound by the cabinet’s August 5 resolutions, the military retains “operational discretion.”

Government Statement

In its post-session communiqué, the government reaffirmed its “firm commitment to securing safety and stability along the southern borders, asserting state sovereignty over all Lebanese territory through its own resources, and ensuring that decisions of war and peace remain in the hands of Lebanon’s constitutional institutions.”

The statement stressed the need to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, describing it as the legal framework that protects Lebanese sovereignty and prevents repeated Israeli violations. It emphasized that a “comprehensive, multi-party implementation” of the ceasefire is the only practical path toward applying the resolution.

The government accused Israel of shirking its obligations under Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement, citing its continued violations as a threat to both Lebanese and regional stability.

The statement also referred to Barrack’s paper, which was based on two principles: the simultaneity of steps by all parties to ensure good faith, and the requirement that Lebanon, Israel, and Syria each approve their respective commitments.

To this end, Lebanon has already taken two unilateral steps: adopting the paper’s objectives in the cabinet, and tasking the Lebanese army with preparing a detailed plan to extend state authority across the country exclusively through its own forces.

However, the statement noted that Israel has yet to show any commitment or take reciprocal action, despite Lebanon’s progress. “Any advancement toward implementing the paper remains contingent on the adherence of the other parties, foremost among them Israel,” the government declared.

Session Developments

During the cabinet session, as soon as the army commander entered to present his plan, the five Shiite ministers withdrew – including four aligned with Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement.

Sources close to the “Shiite duo” told Asharq al-Awsat that the withdrawal came after the completion of other agenda items, but before discussion of the army plan began. They described the move as a “principled position” that any debate on such a critical issue in the absence of Shiite ministers is “unconstitutional and illegitimate.”

The sources added that the ministers would not deliberate on a decision that was itself “born illegitimate,” referring to the government’s August 5 approval of the “exclusive arms” principle and the mandate for the army to enforce it, which were approved after their earlier walkout.