Why did Israel attack southern Gaza after telling people to go there?

However, Israeli warplanes continue to strike sites in southern Gaza, spreading fear among evacuees that they are also vulnerable in the south. Here is an overview of the situation:

Why did Israel attack southern Gaza? People warned that it was there. Image 1 — A devastated area in Gaza. Photo: Reuters

Why does Israel still attack the South?

Since ordering Gazans to move south, the Israeli military (IDF) has continued to strike targets across the region. In total, Gaza authorities say 6,546 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli offensive began on October 7.

Residents said the bombardment in southern Gaza intensified on October 25. One attack even collapsed several apartment buildings in Khan Younis, about 10 kilometers from the Egyptian border.

Even though Hamas' main center of power is in Gaza City, the group's forces remain dispersed across the region, the IDF said.

“Wherever Hamas targets appear, the IDF will strike them to disrupt the group’s terrorist capabilities, while taking all possible precautions to minimize harm to unrelated civilians,” the Israeli military said on October 25.

The IDF said homes where militants live are “legitimate targets” even if civilians live nearby.

Why did Israel order an evacuation to the south?

The Israeli military said the evacuation order was aimed at moving civilians away from "Hamas terror targets", which it believed were concentrated in the north.

"We are preparing the area for a major military operation in Gaza City. That is the next phase. That is why we are asking civilians to go south of the Gaza River," army spokesman Jonathan Conricus said later.

On October 18, the army urged Gazans to evacuate to what it called a humanitarian zone in Al Mawasi, on Gaza's southern coast. Israel had massed troops on the border with Gaza and was expected to launch a ground offensive.

Israel renewed its warning on 22 October, saying anyone remaining in the north could be considered allied with a “terrorist organisation” if they did not leave.

How many people have moved?

Hamas has urged Palestinians to ignore Israeli warnings. Israel said on October 25 it had attacked Hamas roadblocks it believed were preventing people from evacuating.

Despite Hamas' efforts to prevent an exodus, residents and international aid groups say there has been a large exodus of people from the north and other parts of the enclave considered particularly vulnerable.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated on October 24 that more than 1.4 million people are internally displaced in Gaza. Gaza's border crossings with both Egypt and Israel have been closed, trapping people inside the enclave.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in just a few hours was "dangerous and deeply worrying". Several Western governments have called for a pause in the fighting to open humanitarian corridors for trapped civilians. Arab states have called on Israel to end the fighting.

Quoc Thien (according to Reuters)

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