Hamas has moved some hostages above ground and is using civilians as human shields ahead of an expected Israeli ground operation in Gaza City, local and Palestinian sources reported, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intensified strikes and ordered mass evacuations in the northern Gaza Strip.
Residents and officials said militants were trying to prevent people leaving northern Gaza, while the IDF increased warnings for civilians in large sections of the besieged enclave to move south toward designated humanitarian zones including Khan Yunis and al-Mawasi.
Family members and media reported individual cases of captives being held above ground. In an interview with Israeli military radio Galei Tzahal, Merav, the mother of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, said she had been informed her son was being held alone above ground and described him as being used as a “human shield.” Kan News and other local outlets also reported that Hamas was preparing a so-called "legitimacy ambush," a tactic aimed at exploiting civilian casualties to increase international pressure on Israel to halt a ground operation.
The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli military liaison, said Hamas officials were urging residents to remain in place while some commanders sought to leave Gaza, an effort COGAT described as attempting to use civilians as human shields. Palestinian sources said hostages were being kept in houses and in tents in parts of Gaza City.
The IDF has stepped up air and artillery strikes on Gaza City in recent days, saying it had hit more than 500 military targets, including high-rise buildings it asserts had been converted into Hamas infrastructure. Palestinian officials said at least 30 residential buildings had been destroyed and thousands of people forced from their homes. UN estimates cited in Israeli reports put the number of people who had fled Gaza City after evacuation warnings at more than 280,000; Gaza City is home to roughly one million Palestinians.
Arab sources quoted by regional media named four senior Hamas figures reported to be overseeing fighting on the ground: Az al-Din Haddad, identified as head of the military wing; Raed Saad, head of the operations division; Mohammed Odeh, head of intelligence; and Mahanad Rajab, described as a senior military figure with ties to the Gaza Brigade and clans in Shejaiya and Tuffah. The IDF said its operations were aimed at dismantling remaining Hamas military capabilities in the city.
The escalation follows strikes that targeted members of Hamas’ political leadership, including an airstrike in Doha that hit a delegation involved in intermittent ceasefire and hostage negotiations. That strike drew widespread international condemnation, and Qatar said it would host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss next steps.
International envoys have been arriving in the region to press for the release of captives and to discuss post-conflict reconstruction. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio arrived on Sunday and said Washington wanted to discuss how to free the hostages and rebuild the coastal strip. Rubio said there were 48 hostages still held, of whom about 20 were believed to be alive, remarks that reflect ongoing uncertainty over the fate and number of captives.
Humanitarian groups and U.N. agencies have warned of mounting civilian suffering as evacuation orders intersect with dense urban populations, restricted movement and continued strikes. Aid agencies have repeatedly called for safe corridors for civilians and for the protection of hostages and medical personnel. Israeli officials have said they are taking measures to limit civilian harm while pursuing military objectives, and have urged residents in targeted areas to heed evacuation notices.
As the situation evolves, independent verification of some claims remains difficult amid the fighting and limits on access. The reported movement of hostages above ground and efforts to keep civilians in place are part of a broader pattern of concern voiced by Israeli authorities and some international observers about tactics that exploit civilian locations. The IDF has signaled its intent to enter Gaza City to target what it calls Hamas’ remaining strongholds, and both sides and regional actors have said talks to secure hostages and a ceasefire remain a priority amid the intensifying military campaign.