The Israel Defense Forces issued an “urgent” and “serious” evacuation notice for noncombatants in parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Monday morning.
Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the military’s Spokesperson’s Unit, posted to his Arabic-language account the areas that have become dangerous combat zones where IDF troops will be engaging with terrorists: Jabalia, Jabalia Camp, the Old City, and the neighborhoods of Al-Nahda, Al-Rawda, Al-Salam, Al-Noor, Al-Tuffah, Al-Daraj and Tel Al-Zaatar.
“The Israel Defense Forces is operating with great force in your areas to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations. For your safety, evacuate immediately to the known shelters in Gaza City,” Adraee wrote, adding, “Returning to these areas poses a danger to your lives, as they are combat zones.”
On Sunday, Israeli forces killed 15 terrorists in two separate incidents in the Strip—10 terrorists were eliminated via gunfire and IDF artillery, and another five terrorists by Israeli Air Force craft directed by troops on the ground.
Over the past 24 hours, the IAF struck dozens of terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including military structures, terrorists, anti-tank missile launchers, terror tunnels and additional terrorist infrastructure sites used by Hamas.
All current IDF activity in Gaza is part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” a comprehensive campaign launched on May 16 aimed at dismantling Hamas’s remaining military infrastructure in the Strip. The operation combines armored maneuvers, infantry assaults, precision airstrikes and tunnel-clearing missions, and is focused on both the southern and northern sectors of the coastal enclave.
IDF demolishes nearly 1-mile-long terror tunnel
Israeli troops recently located and dismantled a nearly 1-mile-long underground tunnel in Khan Yunis, which was used by Hamas terrorists as a hideout, the army said on Monday.
Dozens of weapons and additional munitions were found inside and confiscated before the tunnel was destroyed.
During operations in the southern Gaza city, troops killed dozens of terrorists and dismantled more than 200 terrorist infrastructure sites, including tunnel shafts, weapons storage facilities and additional “military” structures.
Many of these terrorist structures were booby-trapped by Hamas in an effort to harm soldiers. These structures were rigged with five tons of explosives, the IDF said.