Gaza Protests Urge International Intervention as Israel Prepares Assault
The Israel Defense Forces have amassed 60,000 reservists outside Gaza City, preparing for what could be the final and most difficult stage of the war. In his report for The Media Line, Ahmed Abd al-Salam describes how Israel views Gaza City as Hamas’ last stronghold and is weighing both a massive ground assault and the possibility of a hostage deal under mounting international pressure.
Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, told The Media Line that Israel’s strategy is to empty Gaza City of civilians before moving in. “The idea is to evacuate the city entirely from citizens, and then to occupy the city and to give Hamas militants the chance to surrender or to be killed,” he explained.
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Inside the enclave, protests broke out as about 1,000 Palestinians called for outside intervention. Voices from the Strip appealed to Arab, Islamic, and international actors to intervene—including direct appeals to President Donald Trump and regional powers like Egypt and Qatar. Community leaders and professionals framed the demonstrations as both an act of defiance and a plea for survival.
Michael cautioned that the war is unlike any other, with Hamas embedded in a densely populated city fortified by hundreds of miles of tunnels. He suggested that Israel might temporarily administer the Strip before handing governance to an Arab-led mission force.
For the full picture of what may come next—and the voices on both sides—watch the video report and read the complete article by Abd al-Salam, with Giorgia Valente contributing from Jerusalem.
