OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:51 PM – Tuesday, September 9, 2025
The Israeli military has issued a full evacuation order for all residents of Gaza City, and the directive precedes a planned ground offensive aimed at seizing control of the city — which Israel identifies as Hamas’ key stronghold.
However, according to multiple Middle Eastern outlets, the order has prompted panic among Gaza City’s approximately one million residents, with many of whom already facing dire humanitarian conditions.
The most recent news on Tuesday also follows after a Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a crowded bus stop on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem the day before, killing six people and injuring 12 others. The assailant was eventually shot dead by an off-duty soldier and a civilian.
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The Israeli military urged all Gaza City residents to evacuate immediately on Tuesday, directing them south toward the al-Mawasi area — which is designated as a humanitarian zone. This is the first time in the current conflict that a full evacuation of Gaza City has been ordered.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that the operation is a necessary step to eliminate Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages.
In a recent statement, he asserted: “Our goal is not to occupy Gaza; our goal is to free Gaza.” He also reiterated that the Islamist terrorist group hasn’t stopped posing a significant threat to Israel’s security.
Israel’s military objectives include dismantling Hamas’ military and governance apparatus, while also securing the release of hostages still held by the group. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the terrorist group that Israel will unleash a “mighty hurricane” if Hamas does not free the remaining captives and surrender.
On the other hand, critics of the Israeli government argue that the evacuation order exacerbates an already severe humanitarian crisis. They contend that residents are unable to flee due to the high costs of transportation and a lack of shelter in the south.
Regarding the operation’s international response, countries like Germany and Spain have since halted arms shipments to Israel, accusing the Jewish State of violating international law.
In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Germany cannot support a conflict pursued solely by military means and he suggested a preference for diplomatic engagement instead, despite Hamas not complying with Israel’s bottom-line demands. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also accused Israel of “exterminating a defenseless people,” and despite reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, he still labeled the offensive a “massacre” and “possible genocide.”
Other supporters of Israel and those who support the country’s right to self-defense and the recovery of its hostages have argued that Netanyahu’s warnings to Gaza City residents demonstrate a measure of courtesy, as in times of war, leaders seldom alert the populations that support their enemy.
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