Israel issues new evacuation orders to Palestinians in northern Gaza

On August 7, Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders to Palestinians in northern Gaza areas that were among the first to be hit at the start of the war with Hamas in October, following a new rocket attack into Israel by militants.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced the evacuation orders for several districts in Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, which have been heavily damaged since Israeli tanks entered at the beginning of the ground invasion, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Adraee communicated to Palestinian residents via text and social media, stating, "Hamas and terrorist organizations are firing rockets from your area towards the State of Israel. The IDF will act forcefully and immediately against them."

He advised residents to "evacuate immediately to the known shelters in the centre of Gaza City" for their safety. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike in the nearby Al-Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City killed three Palestinians, according to medics.

Despite ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip, Israel is preparing for a potential assault from Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah following the July 31 assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The Israeli military claims it has killed dozens of Gaza militants recently and reported hitting weapons-making facilities in Deir al-Balah, a densely populated area where many displaced Palestinians have sought refuge.

In other central Gaza regions, Israeli tanks targeted Nuseirat and Bureij, two of Gaza's historic refugee camps. Israel asserts that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure to hide operations and store arms, a claim Hamas denies. Militants maintain they continue to ambush Israeli troops and armoured vehicles with explosives and are capable of launching limited rocket attacks into Israel.