Gaza faces an imminent humanitarian catastrophe as Israel's military campaign, now in its 19th consecutive month, continues to intensify. Escalating air and ground operations, coupled with deepening restrictions on civilian movement and aid access, are accelerating the collapse of Gaza's infrastructure and health services, while prompting widespread warnings from local authorities and international agencies. The Ministry of Health in Gaza issued an urgent appeal this week, warning that current fuel conservation efforts are no longer sufficient to keep hospital generators operational. Without immediate fuel deliveries, critical healthcare services are projected to cease within 84 hours. The Government Media Office echoed this warning, calling on the international community to act swiftly and deliver fuel to avert the complete breakdown of the enclave's healthcare system. According to the latest figures from the Health Ministry, 48 Palestinians were killed and 142 injured in the past 24 hours. The total death toll since 7 October 2023, has now reached 52,615, with 118,752 reported injuries. Since March 18 alone, 2,507 people have been killed and 6,711 wounded. On the diplomatic front, Egypt has received a new proposal from the United States intended to revive long-stalled mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel. Citing Egyptian diplomatic sources, Arab media reported that the proposal could serve as a preliminary framework for ceasefire negotiations and a potential pathway to political dialogue aimed at ending the war. Meanwhile, Qatar confirmed that its mediation efforts are ongoing despite what officials describe as deteriorating conditions. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said during a press briefing on Tuesday that Doha remains in close contact with key stakeholders, including the United States, in pursuit of a humanitarian ceasefire. He described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic by all standards" and acknowledged that serious obstacles remain in reaching an agreement. On the ground, the Israeli military announced plans to expand its offensive operations in Rafah, a densely populated area in southern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians have sought refuge. According to a military statement, the campaign will now include additional neighborhoods and targets within the city. This development follows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's formal approval of expanded military action in Gaza, including plans to occupy the territory and push its population further south. In a highly controversial statement reflecting growing fears of forced displacement, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared at a settler conference that "victory will be achieved when Gaza becomes absolute rubble and its population is concentrated south of the Morag axis and begins to leave en masse to a third country." He emphasized the government's intent to "eliminate Hamas and completely destroy Gaza." Further supporting accusations of systematic displacement, Israeli army radio revealed a new aid distribution strategy aimed at accelerating population movement out of northern Gaza. Under this plan, humanitarian aid will be restricted exclusively to Rafah—particularly the corridor between Morag and Salah al-Din (Philadelphi)—an area now under full Israeli control. Aid recipients will be required to undergo stringent security screenings to ensure they are not affiliated with Hamas. Only three aid distribution centers are planned, all located in Rafah, with no provisions for aid in northern Gaza. The report indicates a possible temporary distribution center may be established in the north but will be dismantled once population transfers are completed. The international community continues to voice strong opposition. Hamas condemned the latest Israeli ground operations, calling them a "decision to sacrifice Israeli hostages," and accusing Israel of undermining ongoing mediation efforts. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also rejected Israel's plan to shut down the existing aid mechanism in Gaza, stating that it violates essential humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The agency emphasized that any aid framework must meet these standards to effectively support civilians.
