Inside Gaza’s ‘humanitarian corridors’ – as Israel insists it does not want to ‘hurt civilians’
To see the column of people up close was quite something.
Several hundred Palestinians, young and elderly, in a thin line facing south on the main north-south road that cuts down through Gaza.
On a loudhailer, an Israeli soldier is issuing instructions in Arabic. They should move south, they are told, and they will be safe.
We’re deep inside Gaza, a couple of miles southeast of Gaza City itself.
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Internally displaced people in Gaza. Pic: Richie Mockler, Sky camera operator
Behind us, a couple of miles back, to the east, is the border fence with Israel.
The land between us and the fence resembles a wasteland. What were once fields is now a vast area of earth, churned up by the Israeli military vehicles, which are shuttling back and forth.
Ahead of us, looking west, it’s a different sort of wasteland. Not a single building is untouched. Some are barely standing. In the distance, there is the occasional boom.
We’re with the Israeli military on an embedded facility. The purpose, from the Israeli perspective, is to show us what the humanitarian corridors they have been under so much pressure to implement actually look like.
For us, despite the restrictions they have imposed (we cannot film certain soldiers’ faces, screens in vehicles, identifiable landscape or certain equipment), it’s a chance to see first-hand what’s happening inside this tiny part of Gaza they are willing to show us.
There is no other way to enter Gaza at the moment. It’s with the Israeli military or not at all.
The reporting is subject to Israeli military restrictions.
Mark Stone in Gaza
Our ride in was in a battered and dusty Humvee. We passed through the same part of the border fence through which Hamas fighters came, the other way, on 7 October.
We were about to see what Israel’s five-week long response to that massacre looks like up close.
It’s about a 15-minute drive from the border fence to the edge of Gaza City.
To the north, we could see the black smoke rising from the latest airstrikes.
Just ahead I caught a glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea beyond the rubble of the southern outskirts of Gaza City.
At first, I didn’t notice the hundreds of Palestinians. They were obscured behind a berm of earth. My eye was drawn to the battered buildings beyond.
But then they came into view. Honestly, it resembled a scene from another time.
It’s being presented as good news: people being guided out of a warzone, through a temporary pause in fighting, to safety in the south of Gaza.
“We’re protecting it day and night, in the rain and the sun, and making sure that all these civilians that aren’t involved in terror, could leave the area, and let us get our job done,” a major, who we could only identify as Shraga, told me.
“Our job, our main objective, is to totally eliminate Hamas. We won’t want to hurt any of these civilians. And that’s why we’re letting them go out.”
Major Shraga
‘An echo of their history’
Seeing these people move south, out of the warzone a few miles to the north, is clearly good for their safety.
But to view it simply in those terms is to miss the point.
From the perspective of the Palestinians, this is an echo of their history. They see it as forced displacement from homes which have been destroyed and to which they never think they will return.
Many Gazans are from families already displaced two generations earlier.
I asked the major if he could see this from the Palestinian perspective; the impact on their psyche – they feel like they’re being moved out of their homes, and that they will never be able to go back?
“After what I saw on October 7, I failed to understand the Palestinian psyche,” the major said.
“So I don’t know how they’re looking at it, or what they understand.
“I don’t know if you visited our kibbutzim that were raided, and how Hamas brought hell into our homes. So the responsibility on that is on them.
“We are here not to fight not because we love fighting, not because we’re bloodthirsty, and not because we hate any Palestinians. We are here fighting, because we want to live peaceful, productive lives on the other side of the border.”
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Israeli military operation at Gaza hospital
I asked: “And to those who say that in eliminating evil, you are reaping misery on two million people. What do you say?”
Major Shraga replied: “They’re welcome to take that question straight back to Hamas. You can see here with your own eyes, how much effort we’re putting in to let innocent civilians out.”
“And the civilian casualties?” I asked. “11,000 people dead, killed in four weeks.”
The major said: “Yeah, well, those are big numbers. But when we judge, then it’s not about the numbers. It’s about eliminating evil. And we saw what Hamas could do, what Hamas intends to do.”
It was deeply frustrating not to be able to talk to the people in front of us.
The Israeli military cited security concerns. Hamas snipers, they told us, were emerging from tunnels. And others could be among the civilians being moved south.
So we couldn’t get the reflections of the people here. It’s only when they reach the south that they are able to speak as many have about the pain of being forced from homes destroyed.
And even in the south, they are not safe.
I asked the officer permitted to speak about this: how was it right to destroy peoples’ homes then force them south to areas also being targeted?
The officer replied: “Honestly, I don’t know. I do know that war is not safe. I do know that we are doing everything we can to hit directly the terrorist, not civilians. Honestly, I haven’t been in the south so I cannot answer that question.”
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I asked the same officer about the accusations of war crimes. The question was cut short.
An Israeli spokesperson, accompanying us, took the question a little later.
“Israel is not guilty of any war crimes,” Major Doron Spielman told me.
“I’ve also heard from many international lawyers. This was an assault that was inflicted on Israel.
“Every nation, including Israel, including England, including the United States – all over the world – if there’s a massacre that’s committed on your border and an active threat, you have no choice but to destroy that enemy.”
He added: “That is not only international law, that is also the law of morality.”
What about the number of Gazans killed in a little over four weeks?
“I think that the fact remains that Hamas is operating within that civilian population…” Major Speilman said.
But, I asked, can that be an excuse for killing so many civilians in just a few weeks?
He replied: “I think that again, that every one of these civilians that has unfortunately died, is because Hamas is using them to cover up their operations. Hamas is actively, to this day while speaking to you, shooting rockets, even in this humanitarian corridor.”
So the deaths are inevitable, I asked, and worth it to eliminate Hamas?
“Death is a horrific outcome of war,” Major Speilman said.
World
Up to a million Palestinians could be ‘permanently relocated’ to war-torn Libya under US plans
Up to a million Palestinians could be permanently relocated from devastated Gaza to war-torn Libya under plans being worked on by Donald Trump’s administration, NBC News reports.
The idea has been discussed with Libya’s leadership, sources told Sky’s US partner network, and would potentially see billions of dollars in frozen Libyan funds released.
The North African country remains divided in two – nearly 14 years after the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi sparked a civil war – with two rival governments fighting for control.
It comes as Israel continues a campaign of airstrikes on Gaza, with 93 people killed and hundreds injured on Friday, according to local medics.
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Sky’s team saw bodies arrive at Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital
No final agreement on any Libya plans have been reached, sources told NBC News, and US government agencies did not respond to requests for comment from the news outlet.
Previous suggestions to resettle Palestinians from Gaza – voluntarily or otherwise – have provoked international outcry, particularly from Arab states who likely will play a role in rebuilding the enclave after any permanent ceasefire deal.
And Libya is far from a safe nation, according to the US State Department’s own travel advice, which says Americans should not travel to the country “due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict”.
President Trump, speaking on the final day of his Middle East trip, said he was looking to resolve a range of global crises, including Gaza.
“We’re looking at Gaza,” he said. “And we’ve got to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving. A lot of people are – there’s a lot of bad things going on.”
An Israeli tank nears the border with Gaza. Pic: Reuters
There had been hopes that his tour of the region could increase the chances of a ceasefire deal or prompt Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza that is preventing humanitarian aid from getting in.
But instead Israel has continued to launch airstrikes on the territory, killing more than 250 people in the last two days, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
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The Israeli military, which had dropped leaflets on the northern town of Beit Lahia ordering residents to leave, said their airforce had struck more than 150 military targets across Gaza in recent days.
This week, Israel said it had bombed the European Hospital because it was home to an underground Hamas base, but Sky News analysis has cast doubt on its evidence.
Israeli officials said the latest strikes were a prelude to a larger military campaign in Gaza aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages.
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Trump wraps up Middle East tour
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Ahmed Abu Riziq, founder of the Gaza Great Minds Foundation, which seeks to give children access to education in Gaza, said “the hell doors opened” in the last few days.
Speaking to Sky News from Gaza City, he said: “Myself with my family, we had to flee today from some certain areas in northern Gaza City… people are running in the streets. They don’t know where to go or where to sleep at night. So it’s really catastrophic.”
“No food is entering Gaza,” he added, saying that people are dying from hunger.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this month that Israel plans to seize all of Gaza and hold it indefinitely.
Tom Fletcher, head of the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, warned the Security Council this week it must “act now” to “prevent genocide” – a claim Israel vehemently denies.
Russia and Ukraine failed to agree to a ceasefire in their first direct talks since 2022 – as European leaders called Moscow’s approach “unacceptable” after the discussions lasted less than two hours and Vladimir Putin stayed away.
The meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, was set up at short notice on President Putin‘s behest, but he declined a challenge from Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet him in person and instead sent relatively junior representatives.
A source in the Ukrainian team told Sky News that Russia had threatened “eternal war” during the talks.
They said the Russians were not ready to talk about technical details of a ceasefire and were waiting for superiors to approve them.
Latest updates on Istanbul talks
Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan chairs a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Istanbul. Pic: Reuters
Both countries said they had agreed to trade 1,000 prisoners of war each in what would be the biggest such exchange yet of the conflict.
But Kyiv wants the West to impose tighter sanctions unless Moscow accepts a proposal from Donald Trump for a 30-day ceasefire.
President Zelenskyy said after the meeting that he had spoken to Mr Trump by phone – alongside Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of France, Germany and Poland – who all met in Albania on Friday.
In a post on X, he said Ukraine was “ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace” and that “tough sanctions must follow” if Russia continues to resist a month-long truce.
The Ukrainian delegation. Pic: Reuters
The Russian delegation. Pic: Reuters
Frustration over Russia‘s perceived stalling in holding serious negotiations was also clear from the European leaders gathered in Tirana.
“The Russian position is clearly unacceptable, and not for the first time,” said Sir Keir.
“So as a result of that meeting with President Zelenskyy and that call with President Trump we are now closely aligning our responses and will continue to do so.”
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Don’t get your hopes up of talks Trump-Putin talks anytime soon
The talks were held in Dolmabache Palace in Istanbul. Pic: AP
The UK prime minister said the no-show by Russia’s leader was “more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace” and has “been dragging his heels”.
NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, who was also in Albania, said President Putin had made a “big mistake” by sending low-level delegates to Istanbul.
A list of representatives ahead of the meeting listed presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, deputy foreign minister Galuzin Mikhail Yuryevich and deputy defence chief Alexander Fomin.
Ukraine’s delegation was led by defence minister Rustem Umerov.
President Zelenskyy had called the Russian team “a theatre prop” ahead of the summit in the Dolmabahce Palace.
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Ukrainian ‘despair’ over missing civilians
However, Turkey’s foreign minister heralded it as “an important day for world peace” and said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to swap 1,000 POWs each as a “confidence-building measure”.
Hakan Fidan shared a picture of the delegations and said they had “agreed to share with the other side in writing the conditions that would make it possible to reach a ceasefire”.
Russia’s Vladimir Medinsky said his team had “taken note” of the Ukrainian request for direct talks between Mr Putin and Mr Zelenskyy.
“We have agreed that each side will present its vision of a possible future ceasefire and spell it out in detail,” said Mr Medinsky.
Hopes ahead of the meeting were low after Mr Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, played down the prospect of meaningful progress.
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Trump on meeting Putin: ‘As soon as we can set it up’
The US president told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together”, while Mr Rubio said a “breakthrough” was unlikely until the US and Russian presidents meet.
No date for such a meeting has been proposed, but Mr Trump has said it will happen “as soon as we can set it up”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that top-level talks were “certainly needed” but arranging it would take time.
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Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was a notable absentee, despite attending Ukraine-focused talks with the US in Saudi Arabia in February.
Russia has so far failed to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – proposed by European leaders who have threatened Moscow with “massive” sanctions if it doesn’t sign up. The US also supports the plan.
The Kremlin has ambitions to keep swathes of Ukrainian land as part of any long-term truce, an idea that Kyiv firmly rejects.
Russia also wants an end to Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and a promise it will stay neutral.
Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least 93 people and injured hundreds on Friday, according to local medics.
Heavy strikes were reported in the northern town of Beit Lahia and the nearby Jabalia refugee camp.
Israel said it had killed several militants in an observation compound.
Its forces also struck Khan Younis and the outskirts of Deir al Balah in southern Gaza.
Mourners at the Indonesian Hospital attend the funerals of people killed in Israeli attacks. Pic: Reuters
Officials at Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital said at least 66 bodies had been brought there, while 16 are said to have been taken to the Nasser Hospital further south.
More than 250 people have now been killed in Israeli strikes since Thursday, according to local health authorities.
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Moment of Israeli strike on house
Israel, which had dropped leaflets on Beit Lahia ordering residents to leave, said its airforce had struck more than 150 military targets across Gaza in recent days.
This week, Israel said it had bombed the European Hospital because it was home to an underground Hamas base, but expert analysis has cast doubt on its evidence.
Read more:
How Israel has escalated Gaza bombing campaign
Displaced Palestinians fled Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, on Friday. Pic: AP
Israeli tanks near the Israel-Gaza border on Thursday. Pic: Reuters
Tom Fletcher, head of the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, warned the Security Council this week it must “act now” to “prevent genocide” – a claim Israel vehemently denies.
Donald Trump spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as he wrapped up his trip to the Middle East.
In Abu Dhabi, the US president said: “We’re looking at Gaza, and we got to get that taken care of.
“A lot of people are starving, a lot of people. There’s a lot of bad things going on.”
Donald Trump was in Abu Dhabi on Friday as he wrapped up his regional visit. Pic: AP
While most of his four-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates focused on trade deals, he also chose to recognise the new government in Syria and urged Iran to engage in nuclear talks.
There had been hope Mr Trump’s visit could bring about a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
An Israeli aid blockade of the territory is now in its third month.
Israel says the blockade is to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages and that it won’t allow aid back in until a system is in place that gives it control over distribution.
Earlier this week, a new humanitarian organisation said it expected to begin operations before the end of the month after what it described as key agreements from Israeli officials.
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Hamas: ‘We believe Trump has done a lot of hard work’
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – which has US backing – identified several US military veterans, former humanitarian coordinators and security contractors that it said would lead the delivery effort.
Many in the humanitarian community, including the UN, said the system does not align with humanitarian principles and will not be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s people.
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The war began when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel.
Israel has killed nearly 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of May that Israel was planning an expanded offensive against Hamas as his cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.
A defence official said at the time that it would not begin before President Trump finished his visit to the Middle East.
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