Israel's military on Tuesday urged the full evacuation of Gaza City ahead of a planned offensive to seize what it calls Hamas’ last remaining stronghold, escalating operations that have driven hundreds of thousands from their homes and jeopardized diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The warning — the first from Israel calling for a complete evacuation of Gaza City rather than specific neighborhoods — came hours before Israeli forces launched a strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. The military said families who leave would receive humanitarian assistance, and it has been urging Palestinians to relocate to a designated humanitarian zone in the territory’s south.
Associated Press reporters in Gaza observed long lines of cars and trucks leaving the city on Tuesday, with children and adults riding atop piles of blankets, pillows and clothing. Humanitarian monitors said the number of people departing nearly doubled the daily average in recent weeks, though many remain unable to move because of the cost of transportation and the lack of available housing in the south.
“We were displaced two days ago, and here we are, my wife and I, unfortunately, sleeping in the street,” said Hazem Abu Reyash. “There’s no shelter, no tent, nothing, no water, no food.” Mohammad Ashraf, another displaced resident, said families have been forced to move repeatedly and often cannot afford the roughly 800 shekels (about $240) many are paying for transport.
Israeli forces said they had demolished 50 high-rise buildings in Gaza over the past two days, which Israeli leaders have accused Hamas of using for military infrastructure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the demolition of the towers as “only the beginning of the main intensive operation — the ground incursion of our forces.” Gaza’s civil defense, part of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, reported rescuing two survivors and recovering two bodies from the rubble of one collapsed building, while saying others remained trapped.
The United Nations agency that oversees Palestinian refugees said the attacks on residential towers have left many families without shelter or basic necessities. The U.N.-led initiative to bring temporary shelters into Gaza reported that more than 86,000 tents and other supplies were still awaiting clearance to enter the territory as of last week. The Israeli defense body overseeing humanitarian aid to Gaza said 1,500 aid trucks, mostly carrying food, entered Gaza last week and that there are plans to bring in 100,000 tents in the coming weeks.
About 1 million Palestinians — roughly half of Gaza’s population — live in the north around Gaza City, according to figures from the Israeli military and the United Nations. Aid agencies and on-the-ground monitors say many are exhausted from repeated displacements and uncertain whether moving south will be safer. The U.N. humanitarian agency said many displacement sites are overcrowded and that moving south can cost more than $1,000 when transportation and other expenses are included.
Dozens of Gaza City residents, including doctors and medical staff, protested the evacuation warnings on Tuesday. Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, general director of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said health workers would not leave. Dr. Rami Mhanna, managing director of Shifa Hospital, said the facility remained open but described “great psychological pressure on the staff and patients.”
The war, which began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, resulted in the abduction of 251 people and the deaths of about 1,200, mostly Israeli civilians, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry says; it does not provide a breakdown of combatants and civilians but reports that roughly half of those killed were women and children. Around 90% of Gaza’s nearly 2 million residents have been displaced at some point during the conflict, and entire neighborhoods and major buildings have been destroyed.
In Jerusalem, families of hostages and former captives urged Israel’s government to seek deals to free remaining hostages rather than proceed with a wider assault on Gaza City. "If I was released through a deal, then apparently that’s the right way to free the rest of the hostages who remain," said Iair Horn, who was held captive by Hamas for 498 days and was released in February.
The Israeli military said the Gaza City evacuation directive followed assessments that operations were necessary to dismantle remaining Hamas command and control in the area. Col. Avichay Adraee, a military spokesperson, had warned last week that the full evacuation of Gaza City was "inevitable," and said families who left would receive aid.
Meanwhile, violence continued elsewhere in the occupied territories. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said two 14-year-old boys were killed Monday in Jenin in an incident the Israeli military described as people approaching soldiers in a manner that “posed a threat” in an area under military closure. In Jerusalem, two Palestinians opened fire at a bus stop Monday, killing six people; Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, while Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service said the attackers had no known militant ties and no prior arrests. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced sanctions on the relatives and residents of the towns the shooters came from and the cancellation of 750 work visas.
Humanitarian groups warn that any major movement of people within Gaza will strain limited services and resources. The Site Management Cluster, which tracks displacements using eyewitness accounts, social media and information from the ground, said economic barriers and the lack of shelter are keeping many families from leaving. International agencies continue to press for accelerated deliveries of tents, fuel and food, even as clearance and security challenges delay shipments and distribution.
Diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting and secure the release of remaining hostages have been complicated by the intensification of Israeli strikes and the new evacuation warning for Gaza City. Israeli officials say stepped-up operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas’ remaining capabilities; Palestinian and international officials warn of catastrophic humanitarian consequences if large-scale assaults on densely populated urban areas proceed.