Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government media office, reportedly said approximately 3,000 people were affected by the evacuation orders.
Israel has dropped leaflets in the southern Gaza Strip ordering dozens of Palestinian families to leave their homes, in the first forced evacuation since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October, according to Reuters.
The report cited residents of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis, as saying that the leaflets were dropped on Monday on families living in tent encampments over the Al-Reqeb neighbourhood in the town of Bani Suhaila.
The leaflets, written in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, stated: “Urgent message. The area is under IDF (Israeli Army – PC) control. You must evacuate immediately.”
Satellite images confirm Israel is expanding its occupation of Gaza beyond the ‘yellow line’
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A Haaretz report published on 15 January confirms that, based on satellite images, Israel has pushed the “yellow line” deep into the Gaza Strip and expanded the area of its control.… pic.twitter.com/qkGwYZea2V— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 16, 2026
A US-brokered ceasefire has been in place since October last year under American President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the enclave. Since then, Israel continues to violate the ceasefire, killing over 466 Palestinians and injuring over 1,294 others.
The Israeli occupation army denied that families were ordered to evacuate, instead claiming the leaflets were intended to warn Palestinians against crossing the so-called Yellow Line, according to reports.
The Reuters report noted that in the past two years of its military operation in the enclave, Israel would drop leaflets over areas before raiding or bombing them. This has led to the vast majority of the population being displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
Thousands Affected
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government media office, told Reuters that approximately 3,000 people were affected by the evacuation orders, which “falls within a policy of intimidation and pressure on civilians.”
He stressed that the “move created a state of humanitarian disruption, increased pressure on the already limited shelter areas, and further deepened the internal displacement crisis in the governorate.”
Since the first phase of the ceasefire, Gaza has been split, with almost the entire population of two million people confined to about a third of the territory. The Israeli army maintains control of the rest of the enclave beyond the Yellow Line, steadily expanding this boundary and encroaching on the area administered by Hamas.
Al-Thawabta pointed out that since the ceasefire, the Israeli military had expanded the area under its control in eastern Khan Yunis five times, forcibly displacing at least 9,000 Palestinians.
Tents, Partially Destroyed Homes
One resident told Reuters that the evacuation orders affected at least 70 families who were living in either tents or partially destroyed homes in the area.
Gaza – Displaced people are living in tents and temporary shelters in UNRWA schools after Israeli airstrikes destroyed their homes, and Israeli military “yellow line” restrictions prevent them from returning to their neighborhoods. pic.twitter.com/6lPDzBa1oW
— WAFA News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) January 21, 2026
“We have fled the area and relocated westward. It is maybe the fourth or fifth time the occupation expanded the Yellow Line since last month,” he said. “Each time they move it around 120 to 150 metres inside the Palestinian-controlled territory, swallowing more land.”
Daily Violations
Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday that Israeli occupation forces have carried out nearly daily violations since the ceasefire was announced.
100 Days of Ceasefire Violations in Gaza – Hamas Lists Nine Demands to Mediators
The movement said most victims were targeted inside residential areas and outside the so-called Yellow line, in what it described as systematic and deliberate breaches of the agreement. Hamas also reported widespread demolitions, arbitrary arrests, and attacks on fishermen and civilians.
Deadly Escalation
Israeli occupation forces killed at least 11 Palestinians on Wednesday in a new escalation across the Gaza Strip, using live ammunition, artillery fire, and armed drones, according to medical sources in the enclave.
Israeli Escalation Kills 11 Palestinians in Gaza Despite Ceasefire
In one of the deadliest incidents of the day, three journalists were killed in the Netzarim area south of Gaza City after an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle they were traveling in. Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirmed that the journalists were working with the Egyptian Committee for the Relief of Gaza.
The total death toll since October 7, 2023, has risen to more than 71,551 killed and over 171,372 injured.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
I would take these zionist leaflets and PUBLICLY BURN them!!! And I hope the Palestinian People DO the same!!! The ENTIRE WORLD, 99% OF THE HUMAN RACE, is with the Palestinians but they need to SEE acts of VISIBLE DEFIANCE to Really become energized…Western populations have been so purposely jaded and thought-controlled to see war as ” fun ” by the imperialist-capitalists that they need something VISUAL to break out of their engineered stupor… IF Palestinians can engage in a HANDS-ACROSS-PALESTINE as was done in the emerging Baltic States, israel will be FINISHED AND DEFEATED FOREVER!!!