Israel rushes to ‘depopulate’ northern Gaza before possible ceasefire: Report

GAZA CITY, Palestine/ANKARA

Israel is racing against time to “depopulate” northern Gaza ahead of a possible ceasefire agreement, a Palestinian source said on Sunday.

Israel is “trying to take advantage of the few remaining days before any anticipated truce to expand the scope of destruction and annihilate cities,” a source close to Palestinian factions told Anadolu.

“Israel seeks to destroy what remains of life-sustaining infrastructure in northern Gaza, eliminating any chance for Palestinians to return in the future.”

In May, the Israeli army launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which included the full evacuation of Palestinians from combat zones in northern Gaza.

The plan targets confining the Palestinians to three narrow coastal areas: western Gaza City, west of the central governorate, and west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

According to an Anadolu reporter, these three areas are largely isolated from one another, and Palestinians face Israeli bombing or gunfire when moving between them.

According to Palestinian estimates, the areas where displaced Palestinians are now crammed do not exceed 15% of the total area of the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said that Operation Gideon’s Chariots is likely to continue for several months and includes “the complete evacuation of Gaza’s residents from all combat zones to areas in southern Gaza.”

Forced evacuation

The Israeli army escalated its attacks across Gaza over the past week, in a move aimed at preventing the return of Palestinians to their areas in northern Gaza.

On June 30, the Israeli army bombed four schools housing displaced families in northern Gaza, in what Palestinians call deliberate attempts to displace them from the north of the enclave.

According to Palestinian sources, the repeated attacks on shelters have shrunk the habitable space, forcing Palestinians to pitch tents along the coastal strip, in a step aligned with Israeli plans to push the population to open areas lacking the bare minimum of living conditions.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) estimates that 85% of Gaza’s area is now considered either an Israeli military zone or under evacuation orders, or both.

Massive destruction

Palestinian residents report 20–30 powerful explosions daily caused by the demolition of their homes, particularly in northern and eastern Gaza.

The Palestinian source shared a video by a contractor working with the Israeli army that showed massive destruction in Tel al-Zaatar and Sheikh Zayed City in northern Gaza.

“Israel is intensifying its military campaign in Gaza to achieve multiple goals: securing field gains by tightening control over planned buffer zones, strengthening its negotiating position through military pressure, and pursuing long-term strategic objectives such as displacing the population and shaping post-war arrangements,” the source said.

On Wednesday, Israel’s Maariv newspaper, citing security sources, said that the army “is serious about expanding its operations in Gaza and is deploying full forces to achieve a decisive victory within days or weeks.”

Israeli Channel 12 also reported on Thursday that the army was preparing “to complete its control over Gaza, using five maneuvering divisions,” calling it “a massive operation not seen in over a year.”

It reported that the army seeks to encircle Gaza City, the central refugee camps, and the al-Mawasi area, where most displaced Palestinians have relocated.

The escalation comes as Israel is set to resume indirect talks with Hamas to reach a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 57,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.