LEILA FADEL, HOST:
In Israel, officials met over the weekend to discuss strategies to wrap up the war in Gaza. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. In the meantime, Israel is intensifying its military campaign in Gaza. It issued new evacuation orders for Palestinians to move south. And more people are being killed on their way to get food from a U.S.-backed group. NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv reports.
DANIEL ESTRIN, BYLINE: The ceasefire between Israel and Iran has refocused attention on the war in Gaza. Israelis demonstrated this weekend. Liri Albag, a former hostage in Gaza, addressed the crowd with a message for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump.
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LIRI ALBAG: (Non-English language spoken).
ESTRIN: "You made a brave decision regarding Iran," she said. "Make a brave decision that ends the fighting in Gaza and brings everyone home now."
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ALBAG: (Non-English language spoken).
ESTRIN: On Sunday, President Trump wrote on social media, make the deal in Gaza - get the hostages back. Netanyahu said Israel's accomplishments in Iran opened opportunities to release the 50 remaining living and dead hostages captured in Hamas' October 2023 attack. Also adding to the Israeli public pressure to end the war is the large number of soldiers, 20, killed in Gaza this month alone. As Israeli officials discussed Sunday how to wrap up the war, the military ordered Palestinians to evacuate more areas of north Gaza. Overnight paramedics reported intense Israeli strikes there. And elsewhere in Gaza, people continue to be shot by Israeli troops on their way to seek food from a U.S.-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Shouting).
ESTRIN: A man calls out in pain at a Gaza hospital last week. NPR's Anas Baba was there and describes the scene.
ANAS BABA, BYLINE: With two bullets to the thighs, another bullet in his arm. He's still in the meantime screaming from pain. Families who send their own beloved ones to collect some food for them are here now for them to see if they can get treatment.
ESTRIN: Last week, the group Doctors Without Borders said its medical teams in Gaza have observed a stark increase in patients with gunshot wounds near the food distribution sites. The U.S.-backed food program said shootings are not happening inside their sites. Netanyahu denied an Israeli media report that troops were ordered to deliberately fire at unarmed people seeking food. Israel's army says it fires warning shots when people get close to troops but that it's examining the allegations.
Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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