Israel Orders Full Evacuation of Gaza City after Warning Hamas of ‘Mighty Hurricane’
The Israeli military issued an order for the full evacuation of Gaza City, as it gears up to “act with greater force” in Gaza’s largest urban hub.
The evacuation order came as Israel warned of a “mighty hurricane” in the Strip if Hamas did not surrender its arms and release the remaining hostages.
Gaza City Evacuation
On Tuesday morning, the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, warned Gaza City’s residents to leave as the military would act with greater force. It marks the first full evacuation order for the city in the current round of fighting.
“For your safety, evacuate immediately to al-Mawasi via Rashid Axis. Remaining in the city is extremely dangerous. The Israeli military will act with greater force in the Gaza City area,” he said in a video address on X.
The Israeli military is intensifying airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza City as part of plan to take full control of the city, which it claims is Hamas’ last stronghold.
Final Warning
The evacuation order followed a similar one by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned on Monday that Israel would step up its air and ground assault on the city, according to Reuters.
“I say to the residents of Gaza City: you have been warned, leave now!” he said, adding that Israel had destroyed at least 50 “terror towers” used by Hamas in Gaza City in a prelude to an upcoming ground operation. “This is only an introduction to a powerful main act, which is a ground maneuver of our forces which are now assembling and organizing, into Gaza City,” Netanyahu said.
‘Mighty Hurricane’ Coming
The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, echoed similar statements on Monday, warning of a “mighty hurricane” that would shake Gaza City if Hamas did not free the hostage and surrender.
“This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons—or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated,” he wrote on X.
Later, he said that the Israeli military struck Gaza with “unprecedented force,” destroying 30 high-rise buildings and other targets he claimed Hamas was using as military infrastructure. “If Hamas terrorists do not lay down their arms and release all the hostages—they will be destroyed and Gaza will be ruined,” Katz renewed his threat.
Ceasefire Deal
Israel’s expansion of operations in Gaza City comes as Hamas is studying a new US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
The proposal, floated by the US President, Donald Trump, calls for Hamas to release all 48 hostages on the first day of a ceasefire and for Israel to freeze its operation to occupy Gaza City. Meanwhile, negotiations will begin to end the war.
While Hamas emphasized its “immediate readiness to sit at the negotiating table” to discuss the release of all hostages in exchange for a “clear announcement of an end to the war,” the group’s senior official, Bassem Naim, said on Monday that the US Gaza ceasefire proposal amounted to “preliminary” ideas.
“It is clear that the primary goal is to reach the refusal of the offer and not reach an agreement that leads to the end of the war,” he said in a post on Telegram.
