In a rare directive, the IDF has instructed residents of southwestern Deir al-Balah to evacuate immediately, signaling an impending expansion of ground operations.
Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip — For the first time since the onset of the conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday issued an evacuation order for residents of southwestern Deir al-Balah, indicating that a ground maneuver in the area may be imminent.
The announcement came in a public statement from IDF Spokesperson for Arabic Media, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, who urged civilians to relocate southward toward the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone.
“The IDF continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy and terrorist infrastructure in the area, and is expanding its operations to regions where it has not operated before,” Adraee said. “For your safety, immediately evacuate southward towards Al-Mawasi.”
This marks the first evacuation warning for Deir al-Balah, a region that until now had been outside the scope of IDF’s ground activity. The move is widely viewed as a strategic signal of a new phase in the military campaign targeting Hamas and other terror groups embedded within central Gaza.
The IDF has intensified its operations across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, focusing on eliminating terror tunnels, weapons stockpiles, and command centers hidden in civilian areas.
Humanitarian organizations and international observers will be monitoring closely how the civilian population responds, and whether corridors for safe passage are maintained amid expanding combat operations.
