Israel Orders Full Evacuation of Gaza City,Signaling Expanded Offensive
Gaza City – Israel has ordered a full evacuation of Gaza City,warning residents they have 24 hours to move south,as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared,”This is only the beginning.” The unprecedented order, issued Friday, impacts over one million residents and signals a potential large-scale ground offensive in the densely populated area.
The evacuation order comes amid escalating conflict following Hamas‘s October 7th attack on Israel, which left over 1,400 Israelis dead and hundreds taken hostage. Israel has responded with relentless airstrikes on Gaza,and the evacuation of Gaza City suggests a broadening of military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure. The United nations and humanitarian organizations have expressed deep concern over the safety of civilians and the feasibility of such a large-scale evacuation within the given timeframe, citing limited resources and potential for a humanitarian catastrophe.
As of Wednesday, only approximately 70,000 Palestinians – less than 10% of gaza City’s roughly one million residents – had evacuated, according to a senior Israeli official. The official stated that fewer than 3,000 tents had entered the entire enclave, despite a goal to deliver 100,000 tents within three weeks, stating, “We want to flood Gaza with tents.”
The United States and Israel had previously planned to expand the number of aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) from four to 16, though it remains unclear if all new sites have been established. some Gaza City residents have reportedly expressed a willingness to remain in their homes rather than face further displacement.
