Israel has ordered a complete evacuation of Gaza City as forces prepare for an intensified ground assault against Hamas’s last remaining stronghold, warning nearly one million residents they face “extreme danger” if they remain.
IDF officials issued the sweeping evacuation order in Arabic today through leaflets dropped from aircraft and SMS messages sent directly to residents’ phones. All civilians across Gaza City must evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid corridor to humanitarian zones in southern Gaza.
“The IDF is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate forcefully in Gaza City, just as it has across the Strip,” the military statement warned. “Remaining in the area is extremely dangerous.”
Several hundred Gazan residents took to the streets in a protest march, declaring they would not move south.
"We will not leave," and "Steadfast in Gaza," chanted protesters who carried signs with similar messages. Abu Salman al-Maani, a leader of the Supreme Authority for Clans in Gaza, called for the march to "resist deportation plans" and to pressure the international community. One protester stated, "We will not give up on Gaza. This is our last fortress, and we will remain here with patience and determination."
Approximately 100,000 civilians have already fled the city in recent days. However, estimates suggest around 900,000 still remain, including some Israeli hostages.
An Israeli security source, while acknowledging that the number of evacuees is currently low, said that officials believe the movement will increase in the coming days as residents "realize we are serious."
Al Araby is reporting that Gazan civilians are moving from the northern part of the Gaza Strip and Gaza City to the south, despite protests from Hamas. The report suggests that the displacement is taking place even as Hamas attempts to prevent residents from leaving.
