Israeli army demands evacuation of neighborhoods in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip

By Zein Khalil

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army on Sunday demanded the evacuation of some neighborhoods in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.

In a statement addressing Gaza residents, Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee stated that the Israeli army “has resumed its vigorous action against Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.”

He called on the "residents of the neighborhoods of Al-Mahatta, Al-Katiba, Hamad, Al-Satar, Bani Suhaila and Ma’an in Blocks 36, 54-38, 221-219, to evacuate.”

“For your safety, we invite you to move to the well-known Internally Displaced Persons shelters in the neighborhoods of Al-Fukhari, Al-Shaboura, Al-Zuhur, and Tal Al-Sultan,” the statement added.

Adraee published a map of what he called “evacuation zones,” according to which the Israeli army divided the Gaza Strip into “blocks” in preparation for a new phase of the conflict, through which it specified the places it would target in a way that would allow residents to leave in advance, according to the spokesman’s claim.

The army spokesman stressed that “obeying evacuation instructions is the safest way to preserve your safety, your lives, and the lives of your families.”

The Israeli army resumed bombing the Gaza Strip early Friday after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

More than 15,200 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi