Written By Lisa Murimi
The Israeli military has instructed all residents of Gaza City to evacuate south to the central Gaza Strip as operations intensify in the north.
Aircraft dropped leaflets advising “everyone in Gaza City” to leave the “dangerous combat zone” via designated safe routes leading to shelters in Deir al-Balah and al-Zawaida.
The UN expressed deep concern over the evacuation orders, marking the second time Gaza City has faced such directives since the conflict began. Israeli forces have recently re-entered several districts where Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fighters are believed to have regrouped.
Hamas warned that Israel’s renewed activity threatens negotiations over a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal, which resumed in Qatar on Wednesday. Talks involve intelligence chiefs from Egypt, the US, and Israel, and Qatar’s prime minister. Hamas official Hossam Badran accused Israel of trying to pressure negotiations through intensified bombings and displacement.
Despite the evacuation orders, an estimated 250,000 people remain in Gaza City. Some residents have begun to leave, while others, like Ibrahim al-Barbari, refuse. “I will not leave Gaza [City]. Israeli missiles do not differentiate between north and south,” he told the BBC.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that many residents are unable to leave due to heavy bombing. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted operations overnight against Hamas and PIJ fighters and facilitated civilian evacuations. The IDF claimed significant progress in dismantling terrorist infrastructure but faced criticism from the UN Human Rights Office for directing evacuations to already overcrowded and under-resourced areas.
The conflict continues to escalate, with over 38,295 people killed in Gaza since Israel launched its campaign in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7.
