Israel on Tuesday ordered new evacuations in Gaza City as it prepares for a controversial ground offensive in Rafah, the enclave’s southernmost town.
The news is a reminder that roughly 300,000 Palestinians are still estimated to be in northern Gaza despite evacuations that pushed waves of people south after Oct. 7. It’s also indicative of the myriad challenges Palestinians face amid the Israel-Hamas war. It’s estimated that up to 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced since fighting began, and around 1.5 million are sheltering in Rafah.
Israel issued a March 10 deadline for Hamas to return the hostages or face a ground offensive in Rafah, but it hasn’t offered a plan for ensuring civilian safety. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested they could evacuate north, the direction many fled from. Though Cairo opposes accepting refugees, it’s bracing for the possibility that Israel’s operation could push thousands of Palestinians across its border.
Meanwhile, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Washington is pushing for a separate resolution that calls for a cease-fire “as soon as practicable” and urges Israel to scrap its plan to invade Rafah.
At the 2026 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, World Bank Water Program Manager Sarah Nedolast joined GZERO’s Tony Maciulis to discuss global efforts to tackle water scarcity.
At the 2026 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, former Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat speaks with GZERO’s Tony Maciulis about a global economy increasingly shaped by geopolitical fragmentation and rising uncertainty.
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In Iran, a shooting war has given way to a fragile ceasefire and a high-stakes standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, with the global economy hanging in the balance. Iran now holds effective control over a critical oil chokepoint, says Eurasia Group energy analyst Gregory Brew, while the US enforces its own blockade to try to squeeze Iran.