Israeli forces showed no signs of relenting on their new ground offensive in Gaza City on Monday as world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and more countries prepared to join the surge of nations recognizing a Palestinian state.
Hundreds of thousands have remained in the city, the territory鈥檚 largest and already in ruins from nearly and . The Israeli military ordered the evacuation on Monday of the Jordanian Hospital, a key health clinic, a Palestinian health official said.
The latest Israeli operation, which started last Tuesday, further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire farther out of reach. The Israeli military, which says it wants to 鈥渄estroy Hamas鈥 military infrastructure鈥 hasn鈥檛 given a timeline for the offensive, but there were indications it could take months.
Many have been attempting to relocate from the city, where 1 million people once lived, to the southern Gaza Strip, following .
Here’s the latest:
Israeli military orders evacuation of a key Gaza City hospital
The Jordanian field hospital in the city’s southwestern neighborhood of Tal al-Hawa received orders to evacuate on Monday morning, according to a senior health official.
The military has already ordered all Palestinians in Gaza City to head south, to central and southern Gaza Strip. It has told aid workers in private messages that all humanitarian sites 鈥 except hospitals 鈥 must evacuate.
The military didn鈥檛 immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dr. Muneer al-Boush, director general of the Gaza Health Ministry, told The Associated Press that the hospital has at least 300 patients, as well as medical staff and family members of the patients.
The order came as residents reported that troops were approaching the facility, with dozens of families trapped in their homes and shelters around the hospital.
A surge in recognitions
Britain, Canada and Australia on Sunday, joining that have already done so, and France was expected to do the same at the General Assembly.
Portugal also joined the group, announcing its recognition later Sunday from New York.
France and Saudi Arabia hope to use this year鈥檚 gathering of world leaders and to inject new urgency into the quest for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But the efforts to push a two-state solution face major obstacles, beginning with vehement opposition from the United States and Israel. The U.S. has from even attending the General Assembly.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is opposed to Palestinian statehood, has threatened to take unilateral action in response 鈥 possibly including .
Paris’ famed Eiffel Tower projects both Palestinian and Israeli flags
The two flags and a dove with an olive branch have been projected onto a giant screen on the Eiffel Tower on Sunday evening, ahead of .
The city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, said on Bluesky social media that it was meant to show Paris鈥 support for French President Emmanuel Macron鈥檚 initiative, later on Monday.
鈥淧aris reaffirms its commitment to peace, which more than ever requires a two-state solution鈥 and expressed 鈥渋ts solidarity towards all Palestinian and Israeli civilian victims,鈥 Hidalgo wrote.
Italy’s unions call for a 24-hour general strike in solidarity with people in Gaza
The strike, paired with demonstrations and sit-ins held across the country, will affect public transportation, trains, schools and ports.
The protest was called for Monday by grassroots unions across Italy. The unions have denounced 鈥渢he inertia of the Italian and EU governments鈥 in the face of the violence suffered by the people of Gaza.
Italy stops a shipment of 鈥榚xplosives鈥 to Israel
An Italian mayor says the port of Ravenna last Thursday blocked the transit of two containers carrying 鈥渆xplosives鈥 to Israel, following a letter by local administrators.
Ravenna mayor and center-left politician Alessandro Barattoni told reporters that port authorities accepted a request from him and the regional governor. The explosives, which he did not elaborate on, were en route to the Israeli port of Haifa.
Barattoni also called for a clear position from the Italian government to avoid arms shipment to Israel through Italy.
