From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 22, 2024
IDF orders evacuation of part of Gaza humanitarian zone, says Hamas deeply embedded in area
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Following numerous rocket attacks on southern Israel in recent weeks from the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip, the IDF says it is adjusting the zone to target Hamas.
The eastern portion of the zone, in the Khan Younis area, is to be evacuated and the IDF says that “remaining in this area has become dangerous.”
It says that the adjustment to the zone is being carried out “in accordance with precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded terror infrastructure” in the humanitarian zone.
According to the IDF, the early warning is aimed at mitigating harm to civilians.
“The IDF is about to forcefully operate against the terror organizations and therefore calls on the remaining population left in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted humanitarian area in al-Mawasi,” the military says.
The IDF’s calls to civilians are being communicated via SMS messages, phone calls, and other media broadcasts.
A military source says hospitals in the area do not need to evacuate, and that the IDF has communicated this to Palestinian health officials and officials in the international community.
The Times of Israel Community.