Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled eastern Gaza City in the northern part of the territory on Sunday following an Israeli warning of a large-scale offensive.
Messages from the Israel Defense Forces on social media stated that "military operations will expand, intensify, and move toward the city center to weaken armed groups." Residents of multiple crowded neighborhoods were told to relocate to al-Mawasi, a coastal area farther south that is already densely populated and lacks sufficient infrastructure.
Witnesses reported chaotic scenes as families gathered their remaining belongings, tents, and scarce food supplies, loading them onto carts, bicycles, and vehicles.
Many Palestinians had already sought refuge in northern Gaza City after renewed military actions and clashes with Hamas when a temporary ceasefire ended in March.
The Israeli warnings came after days of airstrikes and artillery fire across Gaza, killing hundreds.
Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that 23 Palestinians, including at least three children, were killed by Israeli strikes on Sunday.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the agency, said two children died in a strike on their home in Zaytun, east of Gaza City, early that morning.
Ahmed Arar, 60, a resident of nearby Jabaliya, said his family’s home was destroyed after receiving a warning of an imminent bombing from a person claiming to be an Israeli officer.
The Israeli military declined to comment on specific incidents but stated its operations aimed to "undermine Hamas’s military strength."
The conflict, now in its 20th month, began after Hamas's October 2023 attack, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized 250 hostages.
Israel’s military response has resulted in over 56,500 deaths in Gaza, also predominantly civilians.
Concerns are growing over aid distribution in Gaza. Local hospitals and officials report that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while seeking food or waiting at expected aid delivery points.
Following a 12-day conflict with Iran that ended in a ceasefire on Tuesday, Israeli forces shifted focus to Gaza, where Palestinian militants still hold 50 hostages, most believed dead.
On Sunday, U.S. president Donald Trump urged an immediate end to the war in a social media post, stating: "Secure a deal in Gaza, bring the hostages back."
Talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, continue but show no clear progress. Analysts believe a resolution may only come with direct intervention from Trump or Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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