Gaza: Evacuate again, Israel orders parts of the Palestinian city

The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of parts of Gaza City as it steps up its renewed offensive against Hamas.

The latest orders, issued Wednesday, 26 March, apply to Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa and other neighbourhoods where Israeli forces have carried out previous operations during the 17-month war. The military said it will soon respond to rocket fire from the area and ordered residents to move south.

Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas a week ago when it launched a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians.

Israel has vowed to increase military pressure until the militants return the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has also demanded that Hamas disarm and send its leaders into exile.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The current assault on Gaza was triggered by Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants.