Israeli military orders all Palestinians to leave Gaza's largest city

NEWS WIRES
·2-min read

Israel's army has ordered all Palestinians to leave the urban area of Gaza City, where over half a million people used to live. At least 38,295 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, have already been killed in Israeli attacks, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Israel's army dropped thousands of leaflets over war-torn Gaza City on Wednesday urging all residents to flee a heavy offensive through the main city of the besieged Palestinian territory.

The leaflets, addressed to "everyone in Gaza City", set out designated escape routes and warned that the urban area, which had a pre-war population of over half a million, would "remain a dangerous combat zone".

The warning came as Israeli troops, backed by tanks and aircraft, have fought Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in the heaviest combat the city has seen in months in the war raging since October 7.

In one operation, the army said it had killed militants and found weapons inside the long-vacated Gaza City headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Elsewhere across Gaza, deadly strikes have hit four schools used as shelters in four days, sparking rebukes from France and Germany which both labelled the attacks "unacceptable".

"We call for these strikes to be fully investigated," said the French foreign ministry, highlighting a deadly strike on Tuesday on a school near the southern city of Khan Yunis.

"It is unacceptable that schools, especially those housing civilians displaced by the fighting, should be targeted."

"The incident is under review."


Read more on FRANCE 24 English

Read also:
Dozens killed in Gaza as Israel strikes fourth school in four days
Israeli protesters stage nationwide 'disruption day' to push for Gaza hostage deal
Thousands of Palestinians flee fighting in Gaza City, mediators push for truce deal

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