Israel Orders Gaza City Residents to Evacuate Ahead of New Offensive
The Israeli military has ordered the immediate evacuation of all residents in Gaza City, warning it is preparing to launch a powerful new offensive against Hamas in the enclave’s most populated area.
In a statement on Saturday, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee urged “those present in all its neighborhoods” to relocate to the so-called humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi, warning that “remaining in the area is extremely dangerous.”
Leaflets dropped over Gaza City, along with online announcements, directed residents to leave via the Al-Rashid axis toward the designated zone. Videos captured by Reuters showed hundreds of evacuation flyers falling from the sky with maps marking the relocation route.
The evacuation order follows last month’s approval by Israel’s security cabinet of a controversial plan to seize control of Gaza City. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that more than 50 buildings had already been destroyed by airstrikes in recent days, calling it “only the beginning” of an intensified ground operation.
Israel says food and medical aid will be provided in al-Mawasi, but the United Nations has repeatedly warned that no place in Gaza is truly safe, noting that previously declared safe zones have also been hit during the war.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain in Gaza City, and the UN has cautioned that a forced evacuation on such a scale could lead to “massive displacement” and “more killing.”
Meanwhile, faint hopes remain for ceasefire proposals reportedly pushed forward by former US President Donald Trump, but fighting continues to escalate.
World leaders have condemned Israel’s plan, urging restraint and protection of civilians, while Palestinian families in Gaza City brace for yet another wave of displacement and destruction.
