Israel Instructs Palestinians in Gaza’s Edges to Relocate, Warns of ‘Massive Offensive’
The Israel Defense Forces instructed Palestinians living at the edges of the Gaza Strip to relocate on Tuesday, warning of a “massive offensive” against Hamas.
Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic language spokesperson tweeted a map and specifically cited the areas of Beit Hanoun and Khirbet Khuza’a in northern Gaza, and the Khan Yunis suburb of Abasan.
“The IDF has launched a massive offensive against terrorist organizations. These designated areas are considered dangerous combat zones,” Adraee tweeted. “For your own safety, you must evacuate immediately to the known shelters in western Gaza City and those in Khan Yunis. Continuing to remain in the designated areas puts your life and the lives of your family members at risk.”
The instructions came after Israel launched widespread airstrikes on Hamas positions in Gaza in the early morning hours.
“This follows Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Unconfirmed reports said that several senior Hamas figures were killed, including politburo members Issam al-Da’alis and Abu Ubayda Muhammad al-Jamasi.
The strikes end a two-month ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group.
Hamas insisted on the original ceasefire terms, which called for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war in exchange for the remaining hostages. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue operations until Hamas is dismantled. Talks over phase two of the agreement, set to begin February 3, never took place.
Despite this, the ceasefire held for weeks as mediators sought new terms. Last week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff proposed extending phase one of the ceasefire in exchange for the release of five hostages. However, Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s response to the proposal as unacceptable, warning of consequences if the group did not reconsider.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
