TEHRAN – The Israeli military on Friday declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone,” ending the so-called “tactical pauses” that had allowed limited food deliveries into the besieged north. The move has heightened fears of another mass displacement as Israel prepares what appears to be a major ground assault.

Nearly one million Palestinians reportedly remain trapped in Gaza’s largest urban center after almost two years of bombardment and siege. In the days leading up to the announcement, Israeli artillery and warplanes pounded Gaza City’s outskirts, particularly Zeitoun and Sabra. Satellite images show vast sections of these neighborhoods flattened in mere weeks.

Feryal Ahmed, who survived an Israeli airstrike in Zeitoun, told Al Jazeera she had been asleep when the roof collapsed above her. “I threw on my prayer gown and called for my children, but the rubble and dust made it impossible to see them.” Civil Defense teams say hundreds remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, with entire families buried alive.

The devastation reflects what rights groups describe as a deliberate campaign to drive civilians southward. Israeli tanks have already pushed deeper into Sabra, while reports suggest the security cabinet has approved a broader plan to seize Gaza City by surrounding it, forcing civilians to flee, and razing neighborhoods block by block.

During a visit to troops near Gaza on August 21, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with the Gaza City offensive despite global condemnation.

The escalation comes despite Hamas recently accepting a ceasefire proposal that mediators said was “98 percent of [U.S. envoy Steve] Witkoff’s plan.” Israel rejected it, opting instead for renewed combat.

Analysts and human rights groups argue this shows Tel Aviv’s disinterest in a negotiated solution. Amnesty International, B’Tselem, and UN experts have labeled the campaign genocidal, citing systematic attacks on civilians and obstruction of aid.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former War Minister Yoav Gallant, while Israel also faces a genocide case at the ICC.

For Palestinians, the looming assault threatens another forced exodus on top of near-constant destruction. More than 63,000 people — mostly women and children — have been killed since October 2023, with at least 50 more dying Friday.

Displaced residents say they have nowhere left to go. Southern zones are already overcrowded, and many refuse to leave their homes again, fearing looting or simply exhausted by repeated displacements.

The offensive also risks the lives of Israeli captives. Army chief Eyal Zamir has warned that storming Gaza City could kill hostages and further strain exhausted forces.

Reports indicate nearly half of Israeli reservists no longer report for duty. Units are depleted, morale is collapsing, and mandatory service has been extended. The government has even begun conscripting ultra-Orthodox men despite fierce resistance and is considering recruitment from diaspora communities.

Washington’s role has drawn fresh scrutiny. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli officials at the White House on Wednesday, instructing Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to draft a “day after” plan for Gaza. Palestinians fear the project — paired with mass displacement — may signal an attempt at ethnic cleansing under the guise of reconstruction.

Meanwhile, the reality inside Gaza is unbearable. Civilians report nonstop shelling, sniper fire into residential streets, and families buried in rubble. Armed resistance groups continue to release footage of attacks on Israeli forces in Zeitoun, but for ordinary families, the choice is stark: remain under bombardment or flee into overcrowded camps offering no real safety.

Several European governments, including Ireland, Spain, and Norway, have condemned Israel’s plans and urged an immediate halt. But with Netanyahu widely seen as intent on occupation, Washington sketching post-war governance, and Israeli forces advancing daily, Palestinians face yet another chapter of displacement, destruction, and bloodshed — as the world watches.