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On September 9, 2025, the Israeli military issued an unprecedented directive urging all residents of Gaza City to evacuate, signaling a planned ground assault on what officials describe as Hamas’s final stronghold (AP News, Reuters).
This marks the first full-evacuation warning issued during the current conflict. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that around 30 high-rise buildings, deemed by Israel to be Hamas infrastructure, had already been destroyed (The Siasat Daily, AP News, Omni). In parallel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that demolition of at least 50 “terror towers” marked only the beginning of intensified military operations (Arab News, The Guardian).
Evacuation Challenges & Humanitarian Implications
- Though scenes showed increased movement southward, a mass evacuation has not occurred. Widespread displacement is hindered by steep costs (estimated over US$1,000 per family), overcrowded shelters, and safety concerns in southern zones (AP News, The Guardian).
- The President of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, warned that mass evacuation is both unsafe and unfeasible, citing Gaza’s dire humanitarian conditions—widespread shortages of food, shelter, and medical care, alongside infrastructure collapse (Reuters).
Operational Context & Escalation
- Israel’s military presence has already expanded within northern Gaza, controlling approximately 40% of Gaza City, particularly in neighborhoods like Zeitoun and Sheikh Radwan (Reuters).
- Complementing the evacuation order, Israel is mobilizing a large-scale offensive—including 60,000 reservists—to accelerate its advance into densely populated urban terrain (AP News).
International Response & Ceasefire Dilemma
- These developments complicate ceasefire negotiations, with Qatar mediating a U.S.-backed proposal that Israel reportedly supports—contingent on Hamas’s disarmament and hostages’ release (Reuters).
- Humanitarian groups warn the evacuation directive may constitute forced displacement without viable alternatives. The situation has drawn international condemnation, particularly given ongoing famine and widespread displacement across Gaza (The Guardian, The Washington Post, Reuters).
