Around 100,000 civilians evacuate Gaza City amid army operations, says Netanyahu

Approximately 100,000 residents have left Gaza City as the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) intensify their military operations in the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Sunday at the opening of a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

“Hamas is trying to do everything to prevent them from leaving and to remain there to serve as a human shield,” Netanyahu said. “It does not shy away from any means. We have recently seen that it shoots women and children in the legs and, if necessary, shoots to kill.”

Netanyahu claimed that 'Israel' is aware of the international scrutiny it faces over civilian casualties but argued that the best approach is to “establish entirely new mechanisms… and to finish the war as quickly as possible, to finish it with the victory we have defined. That means: eliminating Hamas, returning all the hostages, and ensuring that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel.”

The Prime Minister’s Office later clarified that his remarks referred specifically to Gaza City, not the entire Gaza Strip. The IOF has been urging civilians in Gaza City to evacuate southward as troops advance toward the city center.

The United Nations estimates that roughly 1 million Palestinians remain in Gaza City. Netanyahu claimed that the 'Israeli' campaign is focused on targeting "militants" while seeking to allow civilians to leave safely.

“Our effort in Gaza against the last strongholds – essentially the last important stronghold, Gaza City – is part of our effort to complete the dismantling of the Iranian axis stranglehold,” Netanyahu added, echoing language he used in 2024 regarding the southern city of Rafah.