The Israeli military has issued a stark warning to all residents of Gaza City, urging them to evacuate south to the central Gaza Strip as operations intensify in the north. Leaflets dropped by aircraft instruct everyone in Gaza City to leave what is deemed a dangerous combat zone via designated safe routes to shelters in Deir al-Balah and al-Zawaida.
The UN has expressed deep concern over the evacuation orders, as Israeli forces have been targeting areas where they believe Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have regrouped. Despite the evacuation orders, some residents are refusing to leave, choosing to stay and face the dangers in their homes.
In the midst of the ongoing fighting, indirect negotiations for a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas are set to resume in Qatar. Intelligence chiefs from Egypt, the US, and Israel will be in attendance.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted a counterterrorism operation against Hamas and PIJ fighters operating inside a UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) headquarters in Gaza City. The IDF claimed to have killed dozens of fighters in various districts and dismantled an underground tunnel route.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that 60% of Hamas fighters had been killed or wounded since the offensive began, although these figures could not be independently verified. The UN Human Rights Office expressed shock at the IDF’s orders for residents to evacuate to areas where military operations are ongoing, citing concerns about overcrowding and limited access to humanitarian assistance.
The Israeli military launched the campaign in response to an attack on southern Israel in October, resulting in a significant number of casualties. The situation in Gaza remains tense as the conflict continues to escalate.
