Gazans evacuating areas IDF-designated combat zones in southern Khan Younis
The IDF announced Saturday morning a reduction in the designated humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip's Al Mawasi due to "significant terrorist activity and rocket fire toward the State of Israel" from the southern neighborhoods of Khan Younis.
The army informed residents that staying in these areas has become dangerous and published a new map of the humanitarian zone in Al Mawasi.
IDF forces operating in Gaza
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
IDF ground forces have so far not operated in the designated humanitarian zone throughout its campaign against Hamas. It hosts one of the last three battalions of the terror organization that the IDF has not yet targeted. The other two battalions are in Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat, both in the central Gaza Strip.
According to the IDF, this is an "adjustment" of the humanitarian zone's borders based on "precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded terrorist infrastructure in the area defined as a Humanitarian Area."
The army added that the early warning is meant to minimize harm to civilians and to distance them from the combat zone. The IDF urged civilians in the southern neighborhoods of Khan Younis to temporarily relocate to the adjusted humanitarian area in Al Mawasi.
"The calls for the temporary evacuation are being communicated to residents through SMS messages, recorded voice messages, phone calls, media broadcasts in Arabic and flyers," the army said in a statement.
"The IDF will continue to act against the Hamas terrorist organization, which uses the Gazan civilians as a human shield for its terrorist activities and infrastructure."
Following the announcement, Palestinian social media was flooded with images of Gazans evacuating the area.
Meanwhile, brigade combat teams from the 7th and Paratroopers Brigades, under the command of the 98th Division, conducted targeted raids in Khan Younis over the past 24 hours, uncovering numerous weapons.
"Among the weapons found were shoulder-fired missiles, grenades, AK-47 rifles and additional military equipment. During one of the raids, a terrorist cell was identified launching rockets. Within minutes of the identification, fighter jets attacked and eliminated the cell members," According to the IDF.
Additionally, Air Force fighter jets struck dozens of terror targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, including military buildings, armed cells and other terror sites. Under the direction of the Southern Command, forces destroyed a launch site in the Zeitoun area that was prepared for firing rockets at Israel.
In Rafah, combat teams from the Givati Brigade and the 401st Brigade, under the command of the 162nd Division, raided several military sites, uncovered weapons and eliminated armed cells in close combat.