U.S. President Donald Trump will on Wednesday chair a high-level meeting on the Gaza war as Israeli tanks pressed deeper into the northern edge of Gaza City overnight, forcing residents to flee and leaving several wounded. The development comes at a time when international attention is focused on whether Washington can push for a resolution before year-end.
Witnesses said tanks rolled into the Ebad-Alrahman neighbourhood late Tuesday, shelling houses and driving terrified families into the heart of Gaza City. “All of a sudden, we heard that the tanks pushed into Ebad-Alrahman, the sounds of explosions became louder, and we saw people escaping towards our area,” said Saad Abed, a 60-year-old former construction worker.
Civilians Caught Between Tanks and Bombardments
Israel has described Gaza City as Hamas’ last major stronghold and signalled a fresh offensive. Around half of the enclave’s two million residents are packed into the city, where conditions have worsened by the day.
Thousands have already left, but church leaders said they would stay. In a joint statement, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem insisted that leaving “would be nothing less than a death sentence.”
Even as tanks later pulled back towards Jabalia, bombardments continued in eastern districts such as Shejaia, Zeitoun and Sabra. Gaza health officials said at least 20 people, including a four-year-old girl, were killed across the enclave on Wednesday.
Trump to Chair Gaza Meeting as Washington Seeks Endgame
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that the U.S. president would lead the meeting at the White House, saying Washington expects the conflict to be “settled by the end of the year.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also scheduled to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Washington this week.
The Israeli military said its current operations aim to “dismantle terror infrastructure sites and eliminate terrorists.” It announced the killing of senior Hamas figure Mahmoud Al-Aswad, though Hamas has not confirmed his death.
At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing protests at home, with thousands of Israelis demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Israel has yet to formally respond to a U.S.-backed 60-day ceasefire proposal that Hamas agreed to last week.
Humanitarian Toll Deepens
Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities. The Israeli government disputes the figures but acknowledges widespread devastation.
On Wednesday, Gaza’s health ministry reported another 10 deaths from starvation, bringing the total from malnutrition-related causes to 313, including 119 children. The enclave’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as the fighting drags on.
Bottom Line
As tanks edge closer to Gaza City, the spotlight has shifted to Washington, where Trump is preparing to chair the Gaza meeting. The urgency on the ground is clear: families are fleeing, bombardments continue, and the push for a resolution has never been more critical
