 "Israel urges Palestinians to leave Gaza City and move to 'humanitarian zone' in south")
The Israeli Army on Saturday asked Palestinians living in Gaza City to leave and move to a “humanitarian zone” in the southern part of the region, as the country moves ahead with a plan to capture the largest urban centre in the territory.
“Take this opportunity to move early to the (Al-Mawasi) humanitarian zone and join the thousands of people who have already gone there,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement.
The spokesperson, however, felt short of providing details about the timing of an upcoming Israeli offensive in the region, while another spokesman has previously said it would not be announced in advance to preserve the element of surprise.
Is Al-Mawasi habitable?
In a separate statement Saturday, the military said the humanitarian zone in the south had essential “infrastructure such as field hospitals, water pipelines, and desalination facilities, alongside the continued supply of food, tents, medicines, and medical equipment”.
It added the humanitarian efforts in the zone “will continue on an ongoing basis in cooperation with the UN and international organisations, in parallel to the expansion of the ground operation”.
Israel first declared Al-Mawasi a safe zone early in the war, which was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
However, the army has carried out numerous bombings in the area since then, saying it was targeting Hamas fighters hiding among civilians.
Quick Reads
View AllIDF says 40% of Gaza City is now occupied
Earlier this week, IDF said that Israel now controls 40 per cent of Gaza City, as air strikes in the area force more people out of their homes.
“We continue to damage Hamas’ infrastructure. Today we hold 40% of the territory of Gaza City,” Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin told a news conference, naming the Zeitoun and Sheikh Radwan neighbourhoods. “The operation will continue to expand and intensify in the coming days.”
“We will continue to pursue Hamas everywhere,” he said, adding that the mission will only end when Israel’s remaining hostages are returned and Hamas’ rule ends.
With inputs from agencies
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