Israel Military: "Large-Scale Operation in Gaza City Within Days... Residents Evacuate" (Comprehensive)

Distribution of Names and Maps... "Return When Further Announcements Are Made"
1.1 Million Residents and UN Staff Must Evacuate
UN: "Movement Difficult... Please Withdraw"

The Israeli military, responding to airstrikes by the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, announced on the 13th (local time) that it will conduct a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip within days and ordered 1.1 million residents to evacuate.

Although the United Nations (UN) has demanded a withdrawal, citing humanitarian concerns, the Israeli military has not changed its stance, and a ground troop deployment in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against Hamas is expected soon.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to CNN and The Guardian, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that residents of Gaza City, the central city of the Gaza Strip, were urged to "evacuate southward from their homes for their own safety and protection" and to "move to the area south of Wadi Gaza on the map."

The Israeli military emphasized, "Hamas has waged war against Israel, and Gaza City is an area where military operations are taking place," adding, "Large-scale operations will continue in Gaza City over the next few days." They also said, "Residents will be able to return to Gaza City when the military issues further announcements permitting it," but warned against approaching the fence installed at the border with Israel.

The Israeli military said the statement was also distributed in Arabic and included a map indicating safe evacuation locations. However, no clear timeline was given for how long the evacuation should last. Regarding this, IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said, "We know that this (evacuation) takes time and that it is not an easy process."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Just before the Israeli military's announcement, UN spokesperson St?phane Dujarric issued a statement urging Israel to retract the evacuation order for Gaza Strip residents. According to the UN, this Israeli military order applies not only to Gaza residents but also to UN staff and those who have taken refuge in UN facilities such as schools, health centers, and hospitals.

Dujarric said, "The UN believes that such movement cannot occur without very destructive humanitarian consequences," adding, "If this order is confirmed, we urge its withdrawal to prevent an already tragic situation from turning into a catastrophe."

Following Hamas's large-scale surprise attack on the 7th, Israel has effectively blockaded the Gaza Strip and continued retaliatory airstrikes for six days. As a result, civilian casualties have exceeded 10,000, with significant harm to non-combatants.

The Israeli military currently has about 300,000 troops deployed around the Gaza Strip. On the 11th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a wartime coalition government and ordered the near "annihilation" of Hamas. Consequently, there have been ongoing expectations of a large-scale ground offensive surrounding the Gaza Strip in the near future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.