Israeli army issues forced evacuation orders after deadly strikes on Gaza

Orders issued after Israel launches deadly attacks on Gaza, shattering its ceasefire deal with Hamas.

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‘This isn’t a war, this is Israeli manipulation’: Israeli political commentator

Published On 18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025

The Israeli army has threatened residents of several areas in Gaza to “evacuate immediately” after launching a wave of deadly attacks on the enclave that killed at least 326 Palestinians.

The army issued the forced evacuation orders on Tuesday, targeting the neighbourhoods of Beit Hanoon, Khirbet Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira and Abasan al-Jadida.

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“The IDF [Israeli army] has launched a massive offensive against terrorist organizations. These designated areas are considered dangerous combat zones!” said the army’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee on X.

Adraee said civilians in the targeted areas should head to shelters in western Gaza City or Khan Younis.

The orders were issued in the aftermath of the Israeli attacks on the enclave on Tuesday.

Following the attack, Hamas said that the Netanyahu government had chosen to “overturn” a fragile two-month ceasefire agreed between the two parties, which came into effect on January 19.

The attacks and the evacuation orders brought to an end a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, just weeks after Palestinians were allowed to return to their homes under the ceasefire agreement.

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Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud noted that Israel’s attacks had targeted residential buildings, schools and public facilities turned into evacuation centres, which had effectively been turned into “death traps”.

“Let’s not forget that many Palestinians are still staying in evacuation centres because their homes are either destroyed or located in an area that the Israeli military is still occupying,” he said.

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, on March 18, 2025 [Hatem Khaled/Reuters] (Reuters)

The United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory urged for the ceasefire in Gaza to be immediately reinstated.

“Waves of airstrikes occurred across the Gaza Strip since the early hours of the morning … This is unconscionable. A ceasefire must be reinstated immediately,” said Muhannad Hadi in a statement.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies