IDF: Over 200,000 Flee Gaza City as Operation “Gideon’s Chariots II” Looms

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (Worthy News) – More than 200,000 residents of Gaza City have fled southward in recent days, according to Israeli military estimates, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intensify airstrikes ahead of a major operation to seize control of the city.

Thousands continued to flee overnight, Israeli media reported, after repeated IDF calls urging civilians to evacuate Gaza City before the launch of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots II.”

“We are moving forward toward the next stages in the mission of dismantling the Hamas regime—this is our objective,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir told commanders this week. “We are going to bring down this regime, and nothing will stop us from accomplishing this mission.”

Leaflets, Calls, and Evacuation Corridors

To warn civilians, the Population Warning Department of the Southern Command and Unit 504 began a new campaign Tuesday, distributing leaflets, sending recorded messages, and placing direct calls to Gaza residents.

The leaflets, covering every neighborhood of Gaza City, warned:

“The IDF is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate in the Gaza City area with great force, as it has operated throughout the Gaza Strip. For your safety, evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid corridor to the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. Remaining in the area is very dangerous.”

The flyers also included a hotline for residents to report blockages or Hamas attempts to prevent evacuation.

Humanitarian Preparations in the South

To facilitate the movement of civilians, the IDF has supported the construction of two new distribution centers for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah. “The new centers are designed to be as safe as possible, as short of a distance as possible, for the trucks, and for the people coming in,” Lt.-Col. Nadav Shoshani explained.

Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said Wednesday that 170 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza, while the UN and international agencies distributed another 310. Fuel shipments for critical infrastructure also entered, and more than 250 patients—mostly children—were transferred out of Gaza for medical care abroad.

Intensified Strikes and Decisive Phase of War

Since Friday, the IDF has struck over 360 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip. These included high-rise structures repurposed as sniper nests, anti-tank firing positions, and command centers, particularly in the Daraj Tuffah and al-Furqan areas.

“In the coming days, the IDF will increase the pace of targeted strikes, based on precise intelligence, with the aim of dismantling Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure, disrupting its operational readiness, and reducing the threat to IDF troops,” the military said.

Lt.-Gen. Zamir stressed that the war had entered a decisive phase: “Before us stand two goals: the release of the hostages—this is a moral mission of utmost importance—and the dismantling of Hamas. These are the missions of our generation.”

Hamas Appoints New Commander

As Israel prepares for its offensive, Hamas has reportedly appointed Muhannad Rajab as the new commander of its Gaza City Brigade, replacing Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Hamas’ current top military leader in Gaza. Israeli military sources said the move signals an effort by Hamas to strengthen its chain of command ahead of the anticipated urban battle.

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