Palestinians still living among the ruins of Gaza City were showered with Israeli leaflets on September 9, ordering them to evacuate ahead of a major assault.
The message from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), distributed both in the leaflets and on social media, read: “To all residents and those present in Gaza City and all its areas, from the Old City and the Tuffah area in the east to the sea in the west: The IDF is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate in Gaza City with great determination, as it has throughout the Gaza Strip. For your safety, evacuate immediately.”
The orders sparked panic and confusion in Gaza’s largest city, where residents say there is nowhere safe to flee amid relentless bombardment and worsening humanitarian conditions. Some said they may move south, but many vowed to stay—and there were no immediate signs of a mass departure.
A day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already warned: “I say to the residents of Gaza, take this opportunity and listen to me carefully: you have been warned—get out of there!”
The evacuation order marks another chapter in the war that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel. The conflict that has escalated into one of the worst humanitarian crises in history, with more than 1,200 people killed by Hamas, while Israel’s military response has resulted in over 64,000 Palestinian deaths.
But what remains of Gaza? Click on to discover.