The population of Gaza City began moving towards the southern Strip , initially in small groups, following the general evacuation warning issued this morning by the Israeli army.
The IDF expects the scale of the evacuation to accelerate significantly starting today. Some anti-Hamas activists in Gaza are pointing out on social media that families are being asked up to a thousand dollars by Gazans who own cars or vans for the move. However, many residents cannot afford this amount.
In the very early hours of the morning , the IDF ordered "the evacuation of all residents and people present in Gaza City and all its areas, from the Old City and the Tuffah neighborhood in the east to the sea in the west."
The Arabic-language spokesman wrote in X that " the army is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate in Gaza City with great determination . For your safety, evacuate immediately using Al-Rashid road towards the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. Remaining in the area is extremely dangerous."
This is the first general evacuation order; the IDF estimates that around 900,000 people are inside, with 100,000 having already left the city and surrounding areas in recent days . The evacuation warning also came with the release of leaflets and cell phone messages . The evacuation announcement also provides a telephone number "to report checkpoints set up by Hamas or its attempts to prevent the evacuation."
The army believes that Hamas is holding 8-10 hostages in Gaza City.
(Unioneonline)
