Israeli forces have already pushed into the city’s outskirts after days of heavy airstrikes and artillery fire. The military says these operations are laying the groundwork for a full-scale assault aimed at seizing the entire city—home to more than a million people.

Officials have called up tens of thousands of reservists to replace active-duty soldiers, while the government insists it is determined to move quickly to capture what it calls the last remaining strongholds of Hamas.

But the human cost is already mounting. Entire families have been killed in recent strikes, including children. Aid agencies warn that Gaza’s people—who have endured nearly two years of war—are now utterly exhausted. They face repeated displacement, food and water shortages, and little access to medicine or shelter.

The humanitarian crisis is expected to deepen further as hundreds of thousands are likely to be ordered south, even though much of the territory is already overcrowded with displaced people.

At the same time, around 50 hostages remain trapped in Gaza, their fate uncertain. Families fear that a ground invasion could put them in even greater danger.

Calls for a ceasefire are growing louder. A new proposal for a 60-day truce, including the release of roughly half the hostages, has been accepted by Hamas but not yet formally answered by Israel. Leaders in Israel say they now demand a comprehensive deal that covers every hostage.

Meanwhile, world leaders warn that the planned takeover of Gaza City risks spiraling into an even wider conflict. Aid groups stress that what people desperately need is not more bombs, but food, clean water, medicine, and safety.

For now, Gaza’s residents continue to run—families clutching children, elderly people leaning on makeshift crutches, all searching for somewhere that might be safer, even if only for a little while.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding answers, insisting that Defence Minister Angie Motshekga must explain what happened to the funds. The party claims that some within the Joint Standing Committee on Defence are shielding her from scrutiny.

DA MP Nicholas Gotsell has accused co-chairperson Malusi Gigaba of blocking the committee from summoning the minister, even after initially agreeing to write to her. Gotsell believes the money is “missing or unaccounted for” and says the minister has been avoiding direct accountability.

Gigaba, however, has strongly rejected the accusations, calling them baseless and illogical. He insists that decisions in the committee are made collectively and that there is a plan to review the DRC deployment in full — but only after the withdrawal is complete and a final report is ready. He also pointed out that an unusual budget process this year has delayed meetings.

The ANC’s Thokozile Sokhanyile has backed Gigaba’s stance, saying the committee’s work is grounded in transparency and oversight, and that Gotsell knows full well the agreement was to wait for the withdrawal before presenting the report.

Motshekga has also defended herself, saying she respects Parliament’s oversight role and always follows proper procedures when she cannot attend meetings due to Cabinet duties. She called the DA’s stance a distortion aimed at political point-scoring.

But Gotsell remains unconvinced, arguing that Motshekga rarely attends and that both she and Gigaba are failing in their duty to ensure urgent accountability. The DA has now formally called for an immediate meeting so the minister can explain where the money is — especially after the SANDF’s own chief of joint operations said in May that the funds were being “held onto” until troops returned.

“The committee must act now,” Gotsell insisted, “to uncover the truth, restore trust in Parliament’s oversight, and ensure our soldiers get the answers they deserve.”

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While the militant group claimed responsibility and reported 70 deaths, Benin’s official figures indicate a lower but still devastating toll. A presidential spokesperson described the incident as a heavy national loss.

Benin, along with its neighbor Togo, has faced a growing threat from extremist groups expanding southward from the Sahel. These groups, affiliated with both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, have increasingly targeted coastal West African nations.

Another government official reiterated the country’s determination to fight back against the insurgents, expressing confidence that victory is possible despite the mounting challenges.

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The wider regional conflict began in 2012 with a rebellion in Mali and has since engulfed several countries, resulting in thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and political instability, including multiple military coups in the region.

Recent reports suggest that fighters from the Sahel have also moved across Benin’s border into Nigeria, raising further regional security concerns.

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