The Israeli army urged hundreds of thousands of Palestinians on Saturday to leave Gaza City “immediately” and head south toward Al-Mawasi and central refugee camps as the bombing got worse.
Avichay Adraee, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, said in a statement that “more than a quarter of a million people” had already departed and advised others to do the same. He also said that those who move would get a “better humanitarian response.” His message was shared on X and spread through Israeli military networks.
#عاجل 🔴 يا سكان غزة، وفق التقديرات في جيش الدفاع انتقل أكثر من ربع مليون من السكان والمقيمين في مدينة غزة الى خارج المدينة حفاظًا على سلامتهم.
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 13, 2025
⭕️أحثكم، من أجل سلامتكم انتهزوا شارع الرشيد وانتقلوا فورًا إلى المنطقة الانسانية في المواصي والى المناطق الخالية في مخيمات الوسطى مثلما… pic.twitter.com/1HasRrtyol
I urge you, for your safety, to take advantage of Al-Rashid Street and immediately move to the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi and to the vacant areas in the central camps, as we announced yesterday, where you will benefit from a significantly better humanitarian response, including healthcare services.
The Defense Forces are determined to defeat Hamas in Gaza City and are therefore intensifying the pace of attacks. Hamas’s attempts to spread lies and prevent you from leaving city demonstrate its to endanger your lives to ensure its own survival.
For your safety, evacuate the area to the zones we have designated and report any roadblocks set up by Hamas elements on the roads to 0529625830.”
Palestinian officials said the order was an attempt to drive people out of Gaza City. According to Anadolu, the Gaza government media office said that more than 1.2 million people are still living there after months of being displaced. They also added that Israel is aiming to force as many as 1.7 million residents into Al-Mawasi and Rafah, where it says lack hospitals, infrastructure, and basic amenities. It was not possible to check these numbers on their own.
The evacuation order comes at the same time as Israel’s latest ground drive into and surrounding the city, which local media and official briefings have called “Gideon’s Chariots 2.” This is a new phase of battle that is centered on Gaza City after earlier fighting across the strip. Israeli news sources said that the campaign started this month after days of intense attacks.
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