Israel Orders New Evacuations in Gaza Amid Hostage-Ceasefire Talks

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an urgent evacuation order for parts of central Gaza on Wednesday, warning of an impending military offensive in the region.

This announcement came as Israel and Hamas seemed to make progress toward finalizing a ceasefire deal concerning hostages taken during the ongoing 14-month conflict.

IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee shared the evacuation instructions on X, urging residents to move to designated “humanitarian zones” in the Muwasi area.

The evacuation applied to several residential blocks in Gaza’s Bureij region, which the IDF claims have been used by Palestinian militants to launch rocket attacks against Israeli troops.

The IDF’s actions came amid reports that U.S. officials were actively engaged in efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

According to Reuters, CIA Director Bill Burns was scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday to work out the final details of the hostage exchange.

Sources close to the negotiations revealed to The Times of Israel that a breakthrough was close, with hopes to finalize the agreement before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.

Despite optimistic signals, several hurdles remain in the talks. The proposed deal includes a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas would release 30 hostages, including dual Israeli-American citizens, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

On the ground in Gaza, violence continued as the IDF conducted airstrikes across the region. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency, at least 12 people were killed, the majority of whom were displaced Palestinians sheltering in northern Gaza.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal reported that 10 of the fatalities occurred in Beit Lahia, where a house was hit during a dawn strike.

In a separate incident, gunfire and tank shells caused a fire at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, forcing staff to evacuate patients from the intensive care unit.

Hospital director Hossam Abu Safia confirmed that some patients suffered burns as a result of the attack. The IDF has stated it is investigating the incident.

Further casualties were reported in Jabalia, where a child was killed in a strike on a house. Another fatality occurred in a tent designated as a safe zone in southern Gaza.

The ongoing violence has intensified despite the backdrop of ceasefire negotiations, with both sides digging in their positions.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began after the October 7 massacre in Israel, has now claimed tens of thousands of lives.

As of November, Israel has reported the deaths of around 18,000 Hamas fighters and 1,000 terrorists in Israel.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Hamas-led authorities claim that over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing Israeli bombardment. However, these figures are unverifiable, and no distinction is made between combatants and civilians.

While Israel has stressed its commitment to minimizing civilian casualties, it accuses Hamas of using Gaza’s civilian population as human shields.

The conflict has left both sides facing immense suffering, with hopes now pinned on the hostage-ceasefire talks to bring some respite to the war-torn region.