Israel issues first evacuation order in Gaza since the ceasefire
Israeli forces have issued a warning to dozens of Palestinian families in the southern Gaza Strip, ordering them to leave their homes, in what constitutes the first forced evacuation since the ceasefire agreement reached in October.
This comes as residents of the enclave and the Hamas movement said on Tuesday that the Israeli army is expanding the area under its control.
According to residents of the Bani Suheila area east of Khan Younis, the Israeli army dropped leaflets on Monday over families living in the camp area of the Al-Raqab neighborhood.
The leaflets, written in Arabic, Hebrew and English and dropped by the army over Al-Raqab in the town of Bani Suheila, carried the message: “Urgent message. This area is under army control. You must evacuate immediately. You are endangering your life.”
The Israeli army denied having any plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from the area. It confirmed dropping the leaflets but said their purpose was to warn Palestinians against crossing the ceasefire line with Hamas.
During the two-year war before the US-mediated ceasefire was signed in October, Israel had dropped leaflets over areas that were later subjected to airstrikes and shelling, forcing some families to flee repeatedly.
Residents and a Hamas source said this was the first time such leaflets had been distributed again since then.
Dispute over the next stages
The ceasefire has not yet moved beyond its first phase, during which major fighting stopped and Israel withdrew from less than half of the Gaza Strip, while Hamas released hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
Nearly the entire population of more than two million people is now confined to about one third of the territory, most of them living in temporary tents or damaged buildings, as life has resumed under a local administration led by Hamas.
Israel and Hamas have exchanged accusations of major ceasefire violations, and the gap remains wide between the two sides regarding the most difficult steps scheduled for the next phase of the agreement.
Mahmoud, a resident of the Bani Suheila area who asked that his family name not be published, said the evacuation orders covered at least 70 families living in tents and houses, some of them partially damaged, in the area.
He told Reuters by phone from Khan Younis: “We left the area and are now in the western part of the neighborhood where we used to live. This may be the fourth or fifth time Israel has expanded its control, advancing the yellow line since last month.”
He added, a father of three children: “Each time they move about 120 to 150 meters into the area that was under Palestinian control.”
Severe humanitarian disruption
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the government media office run by Hamas in Gaza, said the Israeli army has expanded the area under its control east of Khan Younis five times since the ceasefire took effect, displacing at least 9,000 people.
Al-Thawabta told Reuters: “On Monday, the Israeli army dropped warning leaflets calling for forced evacuation in the Bani Suheila area east of Khan Younis governorate, in a move that falls within a systematic policy aimed at intimidating civilians and imposing displacement by force.”
He added that the new evacuation orders affect about 3,000 people.
He continued: “These measures, which go beyond the scope of the agreement, have led to the displacement of entire residential blocks, causing a state of severe humanitarian disruption, increasing pressure on already limited shelter areas, and deepening the internal displacement crisis in the governorate.”
The Israeli army had earlier said it opened fire after spotting what it described as “terrorists” crossing the yellow line and approaching its forces, posing a direct threat to them.
It added that it has continued carrying out airstrikes and targeted operations across Gaza, saying it views “with utmost seriousness” any attempts by armed factions in Gaza to attack Israel.
Under the forthcoming phases of the ceasefire agreement, whose details have yet to be finalized, US President Donald Trump’s plan envisions the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli withdrawal from other areas, and an internationally backed administration tasked with rebuilding Gaza.
Reports say more than 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect.
Israel launched its war on Gaza following an attack led by Hamas militants in October 2023, which, according to Israeli statistics, killed 1,200 people. Gaza health authorities say the Israeli war has claimed the lives of 71,000 people in the enclave.
