Hamas Gaza City commander prepares for prolonged battle

The commander of the Hamas terror group’s Gaza City Brigade, Ezzedine al-Haddad, has ordered his fighters not to leave the city and to prepare for “a fierce battle that could last for months,” the Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat news site reported Tuesday.

Considered the last remaining architect of the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre still alive in Gaza, al-Haddad is at the top of Israel’s most wanted list.

According to the internal message sent to the brigade’s field commanders and active members and seen by the Saudi outlet, al-Haddad wrote that he would be “the first fighter” and would be at the “front lines” during the upcoming battle, as Israeli forces prepare to enter the last Hamas terror stronghold. In the letter, he warned that all available terror forces and capabilities would be mobilized to deliver “severe blows” to Israeli forces, and stressed the need for fighters to remain in Gaza City.

According to the report, Hamas is coordinating its forces with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terror factions, to join the battle in Gaza City. A similar letter to that of al-Haddad’s was reportedly sent by Hamas’s Northern Brigade commander, Mohammed Oudeh, urging Al-Qassam members who are residents of northern Gaza, as well as those displaced in Gaza City, to join the fight against the Israeli army.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad are also trying to prevent Gaza City residents from evacuating to humanitarian zones in the south following Israeli evacuation orders, according to the Saudi report. Government workers are being ordered to continue their assigned duties.

Hundreds of residents, including dignitaries, mayors, doctors and other prominent figures demonstrated at the Saraya intersection in central Gaza City, rejecting the calls to evacuate the city and raising slogans such as “we will remain steadfast in Gaza ... until our last breath” and “We will not be displaced ... Stop our annihilation.”

This comes as Col. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, continues to issue the evacuation order for the city.

The IDF on Tuesday began an effort to warn the civilian population of Gaza City via the distribution of recorded messages, text messages, conducting phone calls and dropping leaflets.

In Wednesday’s statement, the IDF provided a translation of the leaflets:

“To all residents and people present in Gaza City and all its neighborhoods, from the Old City and Tuffah in the east to the sea in the west, the IDF is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate in the Gaza City area with great force, as it has operated throughout the Gaza Strip.

“For your safety, evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid corridor to the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. Remaining in the area is very dangerous.

“Attached is a phone number to report blockages and attempts by Hamas to prevent evacuation – 0529625830.”

An Israeli security source told Israel Hayom that so far, approximately 100,000 people have left Gaza City. However, the Jewish state’s security establishment believes that up to 300,000 Palestinians could remain in the area, according to the outlet.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces are already destroying high-rises used by Hamas and laying the groundwork for the invasion.

The IDF said on Wednesday that it had attacked a multi-story building used by Hamas terrorists, who “installed intelligence-gathering equipment in the building and set up observation posts to monitor the location of IDF forces in the area and to advance terror plans against the State of Israel and our forces.”

Israeli forces are operating on the outskirts of Gaza City in preparation for the looming invasion. Operations around the city, and specifically the Sheikh Radwan district nearly 2 miles northwest of the city center, enable “the expansion of operations in the area and prevents the entrenchment of terrorist organizations,” the military said on Wednesday.

The IDF also published an audio recording of the commanding officer of the 401st Brigade addressing troops after four of their comrades were killed in northern Gaza on Monday.

“This week we paid a painful and heavy price, brave and heroic soldiers who fell while protecting their comrades. Alongside the pain, we will not stop, we will continue to fight and to accomplish every mission,” said the commander, identified only as Col. M.

Staff Sgt. Uri Lamed, 20, from Tel Mond; Sgt. Gadi Cotal, 20, from Afikim; Sgt. Amit Arye Regev, 19, from Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut; and Lt. Matan Abramovitz, 21, from Ganei Tikvah, were killed when terrorists struck a tank securing the movements of IDF forces.

“Troops of the 401st Brigade continue to operate with strength throughout the Gaza Strip in order to defend the security of Israeli civilians,” the IDF statement said.