Hamas has reportedly told residents of Gaza to defy the orders of Israel to evacuate south ahead of an anticipated ground offensive on the Palestinian exclave, describing it as “false propaganda” and “psychological warfare.”
In an announcement sent in the early hours of Friday morning, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) told civilians in Gaza City to leave their homes and head south of the Gaza River, describing it as “for your own safety and the safety of your families.”
“You will be able to return to Gaza City only when another announcement permitting it is made,” the statement said. “Hamas terrorists are hiding in Gaza City inside tunnels underneath houses and inside buildings populated with innocent Gazan civilians.”
However, according to Israeli news outlet N12, shortly after the proclamation was made, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry of Gaza accused Israel of “trying to spread false propaganda to sow confusion among the residents of Gaza.”
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“Do not cooperate with these attempts which constitute psychological warfare,” it said. The IDF confirmed a short while ago that “Hamas is telling Gaza residents to ignore our safety instructions.”
The order follows notification from Israel to the U.N. to evacuate 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza within 24 hours, according to the Associated Press—around half the population of the entire strip.
Since Israel’s defense minister ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, including the cutting off of water, power and food supply, there has been a worsening humanitarian crisis, amid claims aid was being stopped from entering.
The evacuation order suggests the IDF is preparing to launch a ground assault on Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants within the Gaza Strip, as has been widely anticipated since they launched a large-scale assault on Israel at the weekend, though Israeli officials have remained tight-lipped about their plans.
Perhaps tellingly, the IDF said that “in the following days, the IDF will continue to operate significantly in Gaza City and make extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians.”
This is a developing story and will be updated with further information.