The Israeli military declared Gaza City "a dangerous combat zone" on Friday, August 29, as it prepared to conquer the Palestinian territory's largest city after almost two years of war. "Starting today (Friday), at 10:00 (0700GMT), the local tactical pause in military activity will not apply to the area of Gaza City, which constitutes a dangerous combat zone," the military said in a statement, referring to daily pauses in certain areas aimed at facilitating aid distribution.
The military did not call for the population to evacuate immediately, but the army's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said on Wednesday that the city's evacuation was "inevitable."
The United Nations estimates that nearly a million people currently live in the Gaza governorate, which includes Gaza City and its surroundings in the north of the territory. Agence France-Presse (AFP) photos from the center of the territory, on Thursday, showed lines of Palestinians fleeing south in vans and cars piled high with mattresses, chairs and bags.
Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed last week to destroy Gaza City if Hamas did not agree to end the war on Israel's terms. His ministry had previously approved the military's plan to seize the city and authorized the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists.
In its statement on Friday, the military said it "will continue to support humanitarian efforts alongside ongoing maneuvering and offensive operations against terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip."
On the ground, Gaza's civil defense agency reported 33 people were killed by Israeli forces across the Palestinian territory on Friday. Asked for comment by AFP, the Israeli military said it was "checking" the reports.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.