Overview

• The IDF said it expanded operations with heavy bombardment and a ground push through neighborhoods such as Sheikh Radwan and Tel al-Hawa, as residents reported towers leveled and streets cleared.
• Israel opened the Salah al-Din road for 48 hours this week for civilians to move south before closing it again, and the military estimates about 350,000 have left Gaza City since early September with roughly 600,000 still there.
• Health authorities reported at least 14 people killed overnight in Gaza City, with Gaza’s total deaths since 2023 exceeding 65,000 as aid groups warn of famine and hospitals face fuel shortages.
• UNICEF said armed men hijacked four trucks carrying therapeutic food for malnourished children in Gaza City, and Israel blamed Hamas for the theft.
• Families of Israeli hostages rallied in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv urging a negotiated ceasefire as roughly 48 captives remain in Gaza, while Portugal and several allies move toward recognizing Palestinian statehood in coming days.