Israel warns of imminent attack on Gaza City, urges residents to flee

Israel urged Palestinians to leave several areas of Gaza City as its military campaign in the enclave escalated.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson for Arabic Media Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning to Palestinians in areas that Israel was planning to target. The warning included a map showing the area and highlighting one building. Adraee said Israel is planning 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 said.

The warning from Adraee comes as the IDF expands its ground operations in Gaza City as part of what it calls Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.

ISRAEL SET TO LAUNCH GAZA CITY OFFENSIVE: HIGH STAKES, HIGH COSTS AHEAD

Before its expanded operations in northern Gaza, Israel designated a humanitarian area in Khan Younis, which is in the south. The IDF said the area will 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, or COGAT, an Israeli agency, announced Thursday that thousands of tents and shelter equipment were moved into southern Gaza ahead of the arrival of evacuees from the north. COGAT said it was working with international partners to ensure that humanitarian supplies were available.

ISRAEL ANNOUNCES MASS RELOCATION OF PALESTINIANS TO SOUTHERN GAZA AHEAD OF NEW OFFENSIVE

Israel faced backlash almost immediately after it announced plans to expand operations to Gaza City last month. While the international community has been critical of Jerusalem’s handling of the war since October 2023, Israel’s pivot toward operating in Gaza City drew even more ire.

“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in August 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,” Carney said in a statement. He 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 United Nations, 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. The nations said Israel’s plans violated international law and urged Jerusalem to “reverse this decision and not to implement it.”