The war in Gaza shows little sign of abating. On Wednesday the International Committee of the Red Cross announced the temporary closure of its office in Gaza City, relocating staff to the south to preserve both safety and the flow of aid. The decision underscores the growing peril for civilians who remain trapped in the north, where tens of thousands continue to endure worsening shortages of food, medicine and shelter.

Overnight, Israeli forces struck several sites in Gaza City, including a residential block in Eldaraj district and a school in Al Zaytoun. At least seven people were reported killed in those incidents. Across the enclave, 28 Palestinians died in Israeli strikes during the day, 19 of them in Gaza City alone.

Diplomatic manoeuvres continue in parallel. A ceasefire proposal, drafted by Israel with American support, was passed to Hamas earlier in the week. The Islamist movement confirmed receipt and said it was weighing the offer. Whether this initiative can survive the battlefield momentum remains doubtful.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military tightened restrictions on movement. From Wednesday morning, traffic along the coastal Al-Rasheed Road was curtailed, with only one-way passage permitted, from north to south. The measure further underscores the severed lifelines between Gaza’s northern districts and the rest of the Strip, reinforcing the sense of a city steadily cut adrift.