From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 31, 2025
IDF calls on Gazans in Rafah to evacuate: ‘Returning to fight with great force in these areas’
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF issues an evacuation warning for Palestinians in the entire Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, saying the military is “returning to fight with great force to eliminate the capabilities of terror organizations in these areas.”
In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, publishes a map of the area that is to be evacuated, telling Gazans to move to the al-Mawasi area on the southern Strip’s coast.
It marks the largest evacuation order issued by the IDF since the resumption of the offensive against Hamas earlier this month.
It covers a large area between Rafah and Khan Younis, where the IDF has so far not operated in with ground forces.
#عاجل ‼️ إلى جميع سكان قطاع غزة المتواجدين في مناطق رفح، بلديات النصر والشوكة والمناطق الاقليمية الشرقية والغربية وأحياء السلام، المنارة وقيزان النجار
⭕️يعود جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي للقتال بقوة شديدة للقضاء على قدرات المنظمات الإرهابية في هذه المناطق.
⭕️من أجل سلامتكم عليكم… pic.twitter.com/Ps1JvDoJRY
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) March 31, 2025
On Saturday, the military said it had expanded its operations in south Gaza, with troops pushing into Rafah as part of efforts to expand a buffer zone along the borders of the Strip and to eliminate terror group infrastructure.
The Times of Israel Community.