The Israeli military has issued a sweeping Gaza evacuation order, telling over a million residents of Gaza City to leave immediately. The call came with a stark warning that remaining in the city would put civilians in extreme danger as Israel prepares for an intensified ground assault to defeat Hamas.
Mass Evacuation Order
On Tuesday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dropped leaflets over Gaza City and posted online messages urging civilians to move south. Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic spokesman, made the order clear. “Remaining in the area is extremely dangerous. For your safety, evacuate immediately,” he said.
The evacuation covers all parts of Gaza City, from the Old City and Tuffah in the east to the Mediterranean coast in the west. The IDF said it was determined to root out Hamas, describing Gaza City as the group’s last significant stronghold after nearly two years of war.
Netanyahu Signals Escalation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced the warning in a video address. He said that Israeli forces had destroyed 50 high-rise buildings in the past two days. He called these strikes “only the beginning” of a much larger operation.
“This is the introduction to the main intensive operation—the ground incursion of our forces,” he declared. “To the residents of Gaza, listen to me carefully. You have been warned. Get out of there!”
Hamas responded by accusing Israel of committing crimes of forced displacement, saying the orders came amid ongoing bombings, starvation, and mass suffering.
Read: Israel Strike Targets Hamas Leaders in Qatar
Human Toll and Limited Movement
Photographs showed people fleeing southward on foot, donkey carts, and cars. Yet there was no sign of a mass exodus. Many families said they could not afford transport or had nowhere safe to go.
Hanaa, a displaced mother of three, said she felt trapped. “If I knew somewhere to go, I would have left. But I have no choice,” she explained. Her home was destroyed at the start of the war, leaving her reliant on relatives for shelter.
Another resident, Razan Salha, a student, fled two days earlier. She paid $375 for a car ride to Deir al-Balah, where she now lives with 20 relatives in one crowded room. “Instability and homelessness have left me very tired. I’ve lost my hope,” she said.
UN Issues Dire Warnings
The United Nations has sharply criticized Israel’s evacuation order. Agencies warned that forcing hundreds of thousands to move south, especially amid famine conditions, risks triggering a deeper catastrophe.
UN officials noted that many families cannot move due to high costs, lack of transport, and unsafe conditions along evacuation routes. They also said the directive could amount to forcible transfer under international law.
Since mid-August, more than 97,000 people have been newly displaced, but only about 50,000 have been observed crossing into southern Gaza. Many remain trapped in Gaza City despite escalating airstrikes.
Humanitarian Zones Under Pressure
The IDF directed residents to al-Mawasi, a coastal area it designated as a “humanitarian zone.” Israel said it is coordinating with aid organizations to deliver tents, water pipelines, food, and medicine. It also highlighted the presence of field hospitals.
However, UN officials say al-Mawasi is already overcrowded and unsafe. Tent camps are beyond capacity, and hospitals are overwhelmed. Worse, the area has been bombed repeatedly during the conflict. “Nowhere in Gaza can be considered safe,” the UN warned.
Famine Threat Grows
Food shortages remain critical. On August 22, UN-backed experts confirmed that famine had taken hold in Gaza City. Since then, Hamas-run health authorities reported at least 121 deaths from starvation and malnutrition.
Israel disputed these numbers but acknowledged shortages. It said it was expanding aid corridors to deliver more supplies, though UN officials argue that much more is needed.
On Sunday, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said there was only a “narrow window” to prevent famine from spreading to central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south. He warned that the window was closing fast.
Military Objectives and Hostages
The security cabinet in Israel approved a plan to fully conquer Gaza after indirect ceasefire talks collapsed in July. The IDF has been tasked with eliminating Hamas and rescuing 48 remaining hostages. Israel believes about 20 are still alive.
The military insists its strikes target Hamas positions, including sites used to launch attacks. But civilians continue to bear the brunt of the destruction.
Casualties and Ongoing War
The war began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a sweeping military campaign in Gaza.
Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports more than 64,600 deaths from Israeli strikes. The figure includes thousands of women and children. Israel has disputed the accuracy of the ministry’s data but acknowledges heavy civilian losses.
A Population in Limbo
As the Gaza evacuation unfolds, hundreds of thousands face impossible choices. Some move south at enormous cost. Others stay, fearing hunger, bombardment, and homelessness.
International pressure on Israel is mounting, but military leaders remain firm on defeating Hamas. For civilians, the path ahead is uncertain, and the humanitarian crisis deepens by the day.
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