The Israel Defense Forces announced that more than 550,000 residents of Gaza City have already evacuated to the southern part of the Strip. Simultaneously, the 162nd, 98th, and 36th Divisions have pushed into Gaza City and are now engaged in operations within Hamas strongholds.
Alongside the announcement, the military released satellite imagery capturing the intense flow of vehicles and people moving along the specified evacuation corridors.
The IDF also reported that Hamas operatives have been taking steps to block civilians from leaving for the south. According to the army, these actions are contrary to international law and are part of Hamas’s practice of using the local population as shields for its militants.
“In recent weeks, the IDF, led by the Southern Command, launched a wide-scale operation to warn the civilian population for their safety, to distance them from areas of combat through a range of operational tools, including voice messages, leaflet drops, text messages, and phone calls,” the statement from the army explained.
“The IDF has also announced the humanitarian area in Khan Yunis and is leading an extensive effort to adapt humanitarian infrastructure in southern Gaza, including expanding field hospitals, repairing and connecting water pipelines and desalination facilities, as well as a continued supply of food, tents, medicine, and medical equipment to the area,” the IDF added.
{Matzav.com}
