Israel Orders Evacuations in Gaza Amid Expanded Military Operations
The Israeli military has issued an urgent evacuation order for civilians in multiple northern Gaza Strip areas due to intercepted rocket fire from Palestinian territory. The directive, which affects residents in the northern Gaza Strip, comes as Israel continues to ramp up military operations in the region.
Jerusalem: The Israeli military has issued an urgent evacuation order for civilians in multiple northern Gaza Strip areas due to intercepted rocket fire from Palestinian territory. The directive, which affects residents in the northern Gaza Strip, comes as Israel continues to ramp up military operations in the region.
Evacuation Orders and Military Expansion in Gaza
On Wednesday, military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged civilians in the affected areas to “move immediately west to shelters in Gaza City,” citing attacks launched by “terrorist organisations” from civilian areas. This warning came after Israel’s air defense systems intercepted two rockets fired from northern Gaza. Air raid sirens also blared in surrounding communities near the Palestinian enclave.
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Israel’s military operations in Gaza have escalated in recent weeks, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing a territorial expansion in southern Gaza. Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces are seizing land to create a new security corridor, referring to the move as a “second Philadelphi Corridor.” This area, located between Khan Younis and Rafah, is intended to serve as a buffer zone similar to Israel’s existing security zone along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
In his statement, Netanyahu vowed to continue the operation, emphasizing the military’s goal of “striking militants and destroying infrastructure.” This new phase of the operation represents a significant expansion of Israel’s territorial control in the Gaza Strip.
Israel Strikes Military Targets in Syria
In addition to its operations in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also carried out airstrikes in Syria targeting military bases in Homs and Hama, as well as infrastructure near Damascus. The IDF reported that the strikes targeted “remaining military capabilities” at Syria’s T-4 (Tiyas) Air Base and in the Damascus area, describing the operation as a response to ongoing “threats against Israeli civilians.”
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Syrian state media confirmed the strikes, reporting damage at an airport in Hama and areas near a scientific research center in Damascus’ Barzeh neighborhood.
Ongoing Conflict and Rising Casualties
The conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza has intensified in recent months. The IDF resumed large-scale air and ground operations in Gaza on March 18, following weeks of halted food and fuel deliveries to the enclave. According to the Gaza-based Hamas-run health ministry, at least 1,066 Palestinians have been killed and 2,597 wounded since the renewal of hostilities. The death toll from the war, which began in October 2023, now stands at 50,423, with 114,638 injured.
As tensions continue to rise, the situation in Gaza remains volatile, with both military actions and humanitarian concerns at the forefront of international attention.
