Residents were urged to leave several areas of Gaza City as Israel’s military campaign in the enclave intensified.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson for Arabic Media, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued a warning to Palestinians residing in areas Israel intended to target. The warning included a map illustrating the area and highlighting a specific building. Adraee stated Israel planned to strike the area “due to the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or nearby” it.
“For your safety, you are required to immediately evacuate the area southward to the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis,” Adraee instructed.
Adraee’s warning coincided with the IDF’s expansion of ground operations in Gaza City, as part of what it calls Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.
Before extending its operations into northern Gaza, Israel had designated a humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, located in the south. The IDF stated this area would include “essential humanitarian infrastructure such as field hospitals, water pipelines, and desalination facilities, alongside the continued supply of food, tents, medicines and medical equipment to the area.”
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli agency, announced on Thursday that thousands of tents and shelter equipment had been moved into southern Gaza in anticipation of evacuees from the north. COGAT added it was collaborating with international partners to ensure humanitarian supplies were accessible.
Israel faced immediate criticism after revealing plans to broaden operations to last month. While the international community has been critical of Jerusalem’s handling of the conflict since October 2023, Israel’s shift toward operating in Gaza City generated even more outrage.
“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately,” the U.K. Prime Minister stated after Israel’s announcement. “This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a vocal critic of Israel, also condemned the August announcement.
“This escalation will do nothing to end the humanitarian horror in Gaza or the deepening suffering of both the Israeli hostages and Palestinian civilians,” he reportedly said. It was also asserted that the move would make peace even further out of reach for Israelis.
France, which plans to recognize a Palestinian state this month at the , also voiced its opposition to Israel expanding operations in Gaza. It joined a statement issued by Slovenian U.N. Ambassador Samuel Žbogar.
The statement was issued on behalf of Slovenia, Denmark, France, Greece, and the United Kingdom. These nations stated that Israel’s plans violated international law and urged Jerusalem to “reverse this decision and not to implement it.”