Israeli Military Encircles Gaza City as Hamas Attempts to Block Resident Evacuations, IDF Says

The Israel Defense Forces says Hamas used roadblocks and fired at Israeli troops in a bid to prevent Gazan residents from leaving.

Palestinian civilians and rescue teams sifting through the debris of a collapsed building in Al-Maghazi, located in the central Gaza Strip, in search of survivors and victims following the Israeli bombardment on Nov. 5, 2023. Mohammed Zaanoun/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday that its troops have encircled Gaza City in a ground offensive targeting Hamas terrorists, dividing the Gaza Strip in two as Hamas attempted to block resident evacuation.

“They arrived at the coast and the southern side of Gaza City and they encircled Gaza City. Essentially today there is a northern Gaza and a southern Gaza,” IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Nov. 5.