IDF Arabic Language Spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a statement on Tuesday morning calling on the residents of the entire Gaza City, "From the Old City and Tufah to the east and up to the sea to the west," to evacuate ahead of the expansion of IDF activities in the city.
According to Adraee, the IDF is "determined to eliminate Hamas and will operate in the Gaza City area with great force, as it has operated in various parts of the Strip."
The spokesman instructed residents to evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid axis towards the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi. "Remaining in the area is extremely dangerous."
He also asked residents to report barriers set up by Hamas or attempts by its elements to prevent evacuation and provided a number to do so.
Over the past few days, the IDF has been carrying out intensive strikes on targets in the city, specifically high-rise buildings being used by Hamas, ahead of the expansion of ground operations.
According to the military, in the buildings, the terrorist organization embedded intelligence-gathering systems, cameras, sniper and anti-tank firing positions, and in some structures established observational command rooms and command-and-control compounds. In addition, Hamas’ underground terror infrastructure runs adjacent to these buildings, designed to enable ambushes against IDF troops and provide escape routes from the command centers established within them.
Minister of Defense Israel Katz wrote on X this morning that "the hurricane struck Gaza yesterday with unprecedented force. 30 high-rise terror buildings were attacked and destroyed, and dozens more terror targets were hit and destroyed, to thwart observation and terror infrastructures and pave the way for maneuvering forces.
"If Hamas terrorists do not lay down their arms and release all the hostages, they will be destroyed and Gaza will be ruined."