According to Israeli security officials, Hamas operatives in Gaza are actively preventing civilians from evacuating Gaza City. Militants have been stationed at key exits and ordered to block residents from leaving, threatening anyone who tries to flee south.
The terror group has drawn conclusions from recent incidents, including the IDF’s strike on Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital, which targeted operatives but also caused civilian casualties. Hamas now seeks to exploit Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian harm by embedding its fighters even deeper among the population.
Intelligence gathered by Israel indicates Hamas commanders have instructed operatives to keep civilians in place in order to complicate any potential IDFmaneuver into the city. “They will use every man, woman, and child as a shield,” an Israeli defense source warned.
Egypt on Alert Reports from Cairo confirm that the Egyptian military has notified both Israel and the U.S. of plans to significantly increase its troop presence in Zone C of the Sinai Peninsula, adjacent to Gaza. Egyptian sources said forces would be deployed “fully armed along the entire border” in anticipation of possible mass displacement should Israel launch a full-scale assault on Gaza City, home to more than half a million residents. (Read More)