Despite IDF warning, Gazans stay put

Residents of Shuja’iya and Zeitoun near Gaza City are not evacuating their homes, in spite of the Israeli warning issued earlier this morning, Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip tell The Times of Israel.

Only a small number of Palestinian residents in the eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City have left since the army messages, urging civilians to leave by 8 a.m., were issued.

This stands in contrast to the 18,000 residents of Beit Lahiya who left their homes earlier this week, following an IDF warning.

Residents of Beit Lahiya were also urged for a second time to leave this morning.

It is possible that having seen the IDF refrain from striking Beit Lahiya has encouraged the Shuja’iya and Zeitoun residents to stay put.

— Avi Issacharoff