Tags: mideast gaza israel hamas war latest 03 26 2025

Middle East Latest: Israeli Military Orders Evacuation of Parts of Gaza City

Wednesday, 26 March 2025 08:00 AM EDT

The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of parts of Gaza City as it steps up its renewed offensive against Hamas.

Israel has vowed to increase military pressure until the militants return the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has also demanded that Hamas disarm and send its leaders into exile. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants.

Here's the latest:

An Israeli co-director of an Oscar-winning film about settler violence said the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences refused to publicly condemn the beating and detention of the Palestinian co-director by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Writing on X, Yuval Abraham, co-director of “No Other Land,” wrote that several members of the academy, which awards the Oscars, advocated in vain for the group to make a statement denouncing the attack on Ballal. He said he was told that the academy would not denounce the attack because it involved other Palestinians.

“In other words, while Hamdan was clearly targeted for making No Other Land … he was also targeted for being Palestinian — like countless others every day who are disregarded. This, it seems, gave the Academy an excuse to remain silent when a filmmaker they honored, living under Israeli occupation, needed them the most,” wrote Abraham.

He noted that the European Academy had voiced solidarity with Ballal following the attack and said it was not too late for the American Academy to do the same. The military has denied that Ballal was beaten.

Palestinians chanted against Hamas during an anti-war protest in the Gaza Strip, according to videos circulating online. It was a rare show of public anger against the militant group, which has long repressed dissent and still rules the territory 17 months into the war with Israel.

The videos, which appeared to be authentic, showed hundreds of people taking part in an anti-war protest in the heavily destroyed northern town of Beit Lahiya on Tuesday. People held signs saying “Stop the war,” “We refuse to die,” and “The blood of our children is not cheap.”

Some could be heard chanting: “Hamas out!” Other videos appeared to show Hamas supporters dispersing the crowds.

The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of parts of Gaza City as it steps up its renewed offensive against Hamas.

The latest orders issued Wednesday apply to Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa and other neighborhoods where Israeli forces have carried out previous operations during the 17-month war. The military said it will soon respond to rocket fire from the area and ordered residents to move south.

Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas last week when it launched a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians.

It has vowed to increase military pressure until Hamas returns the remaining 59 hostages it holds – 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has also demanded that Hamas disarm and send its leaders into exile.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.


GlobalTalk
The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of parts of Gaza City as it steps up its renewed offensive against Hamas.Israel has vowed to increase military pressure until the militants return the remaining 59 hostages - 24 of whom are believed to be alive....
mideast gaza israel hamas war latest 03 26 2025
571
2025-00-26
Wednesday, 26 March 2025 08:00 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
 
TOP

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved