Local media and Palestinian sources reported that Hamas has moved some hostages above ground in Gaza and is using them, and civilians, as "human shields" ahead of an expected Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground operation in Gaza City.
The reports, citing residents and family members of captives, say militants have held some hostages in houses and others in tents in populated areas. Merav, the mother of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, told Israeli radio station Galei Tzahal that her son was being held alone above ground and serving as a "human shield." Kan News reported that Hamas was preparing what it described as a "legitimacy ambush," a tactic to exploit civilian casualties to increase international pressure on Israel to halt any ground entry.
The IDF has issued evacuation orders for large sections of northern Gaza City and said civilians in areas including the Gaza Port and southern al-Rimal should head south toward designated humanitarian zones, such as Khan Yunis and al-Mawasi. Israeli authorities and military spokespeople have argued that the evacuations are necessary ahead of operations to dismantle what they call Hamas's remaining strongholds in the city.
Despite the orders, multiple reports said Hamas has been trying to prevent residents from leaving. The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories said Hamas officials were attempting to flee Gaza while urging residents to remain, in part to use the civilian population as shields. Palestinian sources and local residents described threats, media campaigns urging people to stay in their homes and violence against those attempting to flee, including reported threats of execution.
The IDF has stepped up airstrikes and shelling in recent days, saying it hit more than 500 military targets and targeted high-rise buildings it says were converted into Hamas infrastructure. Palestinian officials said at least 30 residential buildings were destroyed and thousands of people were forced from their homes. United Nations estimates cited in Israeli reports put the number of Gazans who have fled Gaza City following evacuation warnings at more than 280,000.
Arab sources named several senior Hamas commanders they said had been assigned to oversee fighting in the city, identifying Az al-Din Haddad as head of the military wing; Raed Saad as head of operations; Mohammed Odeh as head of intelligence; and Mahanad Rajab as a senior military figure linked to brigades operating in Shejaiya and Tuffah. The names and roles could not be independently verified.
The situation comes amid diplomatic movements. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio traveled to the region to discuss the fate of hostages and reconstruction plans, saying before his departure that Washington intended to press Israeli leaders on freeing the estimated 48 hostages still held by Hamas, roughly 20 of whom are believed to be alive according to the reports. Qatar said it would host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss next steps.
The reports also followed an Israeli airstrike that targeted members of Hamas’s political leadership in Doha, an action that drew condemnation from several governments and international bodies. Israeli and Qatari officials have not publicly released a full accounting of the strike’s effects.
Humanitarian agencies and U.N. officials have repeatedly warned of catastrophic consequences if a large-scale ground operation takes place in Gaza City, one of the most densely populated parts of the besieged coastal territory and home to roughly one million Palestinians. Aid groups have said movement of civilians is constrained by the fighting, shortages of fuel and medicine, and damaged infrastructure.
Israel has framed planned operations as necessary to eliminate Hamas after months of hostilities that began with a cross-border attack in October. Hamas's political leadership has engaged intermittently in talks on a cease-fire and hostage release; those efforts intensified amid the recent escalation but have not produced a comprehensive agreement.
The reports of hostages being moved above ground and militants blocking evacuations could complicate both military planning and diplomatic efforts. Independent verification of the full extent and locations of hostages and of the tactics described in the reports was not available. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with international agencies calling for safe corridors for civilians and for urgent access to basic services.