Israel pushes deeper into Gaza City, forcing civilians to evacuate through corridor

Israel’s army has ordered Palestinians in Gaza City to flee south along Salah al-Din Street, saying the route will stay open for several hours today.

Avichay Adraee, Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesman, posted a map on X showing the designated corridor and described it as a “temporary transit route” until 12pm (09:00 GMT).

The forced movement comes as Israeli forces press deeper into the city from two directions, effectively trapping residents and pushing them towards the coast. Infantry, tanks, artillery, and air strikes are being deployed in what army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani called an effort to intensify pressure on Hamas.

On the ground, traffic has slowed to a crawl along the parallel al-Rashid Road, with families desperately trying to escape the bombardment. The United Nations and rights groups have repeatedly warned that there are no genuine “safe zones” in Gaza, where civilians face constant shelling.

Many Palestinians now face the devastating prospect of yet another round of displacement, uncertain if they will ever be able to return home.

Despite the exodus, large numbers remain in northern Gaza. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimates that 740,000 people – about 35 percent of the territory’s 2.1 million population – are still there. But relentless air and ground assaults continue to drive more from the area.