Israeli army issues warning to northern Gaza residents, ordering to evacuate ahead of bombings

By Zein Khalil

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The Israeli army on Saturday issued a warning to residents of several areas in northern Gaza, ordering them to evacuate ahead of their planned bombings, as different areas of the besieged enclave have been subjected to an intensified onslaught since Friday morning, following the end of a week-long humanitarian pause.

In a statement addressing Gaza residents, Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee stated that the Israeli military has "resumed forceful action against Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip."

He warned the "residents of Al-Shuja'iya, Al-Zaytoun, the Old City of Gaza, and the Jabalia residents residing in the following blocks: 1772, 1808, 1811, 961, 963, 760, to evacuate."

“For your safety, we call on you to evacuate your homes immediately through the Haifa and Khalil al-Wazir axes and go to the known shelter centers and schools in the Al-Daraj and Tuffah neighborhoods and west of Gaza City,” the statement added.

Though the Israeli army is pushing people in northern Gaza to shelter houses and schools, people are concerned that the Israeli military has not spared UN-run schools from its intensified attacks last month.

On Nov. 18, Israeli air raids killed many Palestinians at Al Fakhoura school in the Jabalia refugee camp and another school in Tall az-Zaatar, both in northern Gaza. Several people were said to have sought refuge at both schools, fleeing the non-stop Israeli attacks.

Earlier on Nov. 3, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa: “The Israeli occupation forces committed a new massacre by bombing the Osama Bin Zaid School affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which shelters thousands of displaced people in the Al-Saftawi area in the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in dozens killed and wounded.”

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.

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed and 589 injured on Friday in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The humanitarian pause began on Nov. 24 as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to temporarily halt fighting to allow hostage swaps and aid delivery.

More than 15,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

Around 1,200 Israelis have also been killed, according to official estimates.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi