Israel has rejected exit requests from senior Hamas officials and their families seeking to leave the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) released on September 14th, 2025. The rejection comes as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue preparations for a major offensive in Gaza City, which has been designated a "red zone." COGAT chief Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian stated via Facebook that Hamas operatives are seeking to flee while urging residents to remain, accusing them of using civilians as human shields. Muhammad Madhoun, a minister in the Hamas government, and families of Isma'il al-Ashqar and Alaa a-Din Bata were reportedly among those denied departure. In the past 29 minutes, Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed response steps to potential Hamas actions against abductors during an IDF maneuver in Gaza, as reported by Yaron Avraham. Separately, US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro mentioned at the Magen Avraham Conference that the Indonesian President suggested placing forces in Gaza as part of a multinational force post-conflict. The first performance of Hamas senior Tahar a-Anuno since a recent Israeli attack was acknowledged. Previous reports indicated that the IDF had finalized preparations for a major assault on Gaza City and issued multiple evacuation warnings. The number of displaced individuals in Gaza has reached 680,000, with over 300,000 having evacuated Gaza City prior to these latest developments. The Islamic University of Gaza City's Women Students Building, which housed displaced Palestinians, was recently destroyed by Israeli airstrikes after an evacuation order was issued, according to earlier reports. In a separate development, Gaza City Council member Anwar Atallah reportedly escaped the Gaza Strip with his family two weeks prior via an Israel-run mechanism to third countries through Jordan. Britain has banned Israelis from attending The Royal College of Defence Studies for the upcoming year, a decision criticized as discriminatory. Earlier on September 14th, 2025, IDF forces eliminated terrorist Naal Samara, responsible for a shooting attack near Bruchin on May 14th, 2025.
