- Israel calls on residents of several Gaza areas to flee
The Israeli army has called on residents in the north of Khan Yunis and east of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip to flee ahead of a new military operation. They should move to a humanitarian zone, the borders of which have been redrawn, the army announced via leaflets, SMS, phone calls, and Arabic-language media reports. "The terrorist organization Hamas has established a terrorist infrastructure in an area designated as a humanitarian zone," the army stated, explaining the move.
Rockets are being fired from the area towards Israel. "Remaining in this area has become dangerous," the army warned. It will operate against Hamas in the area. The aim of the warnings is to protect civilians, the military said in a statement.
Khan Yunis is located in southern Gaza, while Deir al-Balah is in the center. The humanitarian zone, which stretches between the two areas in the west of the Gaza Strip, is currently being adjusted, the military added. A map from the army shows that the area is being reduced and several neighborhoods are no longer part of the zone.
According to army reports, rockets were fired from Khan Yunis towards Israel on Thursday.
Fighting in the Gaza Strip continues, the Israeli army said. The air force attacked more than 30 targets, including military facilities, in the coastal region on Thursday.
The war was triggered by the massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists and other extremist groups on October 7 in Israel. The high number of civilian casualties and the humanitarian catastrophe for the Palestinian civilian population has sparked sharp international criticism of Israel's actions.
The Palestinian territories, specifically the areas of Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah, have been affected by the ongoing conflict. The Israeli army has urged residents in these areas to leave due to safety concerns, as the Palestinian territories have become a source of rocket attacks towards Israel.
