The Israeli military on Wednesday issued new orders for Palestinians to evacuate areas of northern Gaza that were among the first hit at the start of the war with Hamas in October, when Hamas militants fired a fresh barrage of rockets at Israel.
Army spokesman Avichai Adraee issued orders to evacuate several districts of Beit Hanun and Beit Lahiya, two now largely destroyed towns that were captured by Israeli tanks at the start of Israel’s ground invasion.
In a message sent to Palestinian residents via text and social media, Adraee said, “Hamas and terrorist organizations are firing rockets from your territory towards the State of Israel. The IDF will take immediate and strict action against them.”
“For your own safety, immediately move to known shelters in the center of Gaza city,” the army spokesman said.
Three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a house in the al-Tuffah area near Gaza City, medics said.
Ten Palestinians were killed in two separate Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on Wednesday. Medics said three people travelling on a motorcycle were killed in one attack west of Khan Yunis, while seven others were killed when tank shelling hit a tent camp in the town of Abasan, east of the city.
Multiple Fronts
Fighting continues in the Gaza Strip while Israel prepares for a possible attack to its north from Iran and its close Lebanese ally Hezbollah following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31.
The Israeli military has said it has killed dozens of Hamas militants in recent days and on Wednesday said troops had struck weapons-manufacturing facilities in the Deir al-Balah district of central Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians displaced by the fighting have taken refuge.
In other central areas, Israeli tanks shelled Nuseirat and Bureij, two of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps. Israel says Hamas operatives use civilian infrastructure for cover and to hide operational checkpoints and weapons stockpiles; Hamas denies this.
Hamas activists say they continue to ambush Israeli troops and armored vehicles with explosive devices, and are still able to fire limited rockets into Israel.
On Tuesday, Hamas’ close ally Islamic Jihad said it fired rockets at Israel in response to a “massacre of civilians” in Israel.
The Israeli military said last week Hamas fired rockets from launchers positioned near two international humanitarian aid and distribution warehouses, including one belonging to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA. The Israeli military struck those sites, it said.
Hamas-led militants launched the Gaza war on October 7 by attacking Israeli communities across the border, killing 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
In response, Israel has continued its relentless assault on Gaza, leaving much of the densely populated coastal region in ruins. More than 39,600 Palestinians have been killed and over 91,500 injured, according to Gaza Health Ministry figures.
The Hamas-led ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its death lists.
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