July 11, 2024 | Flash Brief
Israel Orders Evacuation of Gaza City as Ceasefire Talks Persist
July 11, 2024 | Flash Brief
Israel Orders Evacuation of Gaza City as Ceasefire Talks Persist
Latest Developments
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the evacuation of Gaza City on July 10, urging residents to move south to central Gaza in advance of an Israeli military operation. Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets in the city calling on Gazans to leave a “dangerous combat zone” through safe corridors. Meanwhile, on July 11, an Israeli aircraft killed a group of terrorists who fired five rockets from Rafah at Israeli communities near the Gaza and Egyptian borders. The IDF was able to locate the source of the fire and target the perpetrators within 30 minutes of the attack.
These developments come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas continue. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly told White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk on July 9 that Israel may be willing to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border and has served as a Hamas smuggling route. As part of the deal, a U.S.-trained force vetted by Israel and consisting of 2,500 supporters of the Palestinian Authority may secure Gaza in an “interim governance” plan.
Expert Analysis
“The rocket fire from southern Gaza on July 11 illustrates that Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza continue to try to threaten Israeli border communities. As Hamas faces pressure from IDF forces in northern Gaza and in Rafah, the terror group will continue to try to fire rockets and mortars at the border area in order to show that it still has capabilities. Reducing those capabilities is part of the IDF’s long-term goal in the fight against Hamas in Gaza.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow
“A concerning pattern is emerging as Hamas and its affiliates are attempting to regain a foothold in areas from which the IDF previously ousted them. This resurgence can be attributed to the recruitment of new fighters, the continued operational presence of Hamas’s high command in the Gaza Strip, and the incomplete dismantlement of terrorist infrastructure during previous Israeli military operations.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
60 Percent of Hamas Terrorists Eliminated in Nine Months of War
Israel has killed 60 percent of Hamas fighters in nine months of war, Gallant said on July 10. The IDF has also defeated most of Hamas’s 24 battalions of fighters in Gaza. Gallant made his comments as the IDF ended a two-week battle against terrorists in the northern Gaza neighborhood of Shejaiya. Before leaving, the IDF demolished six terror tunnels that stretched for around four miles. The IDF also eliminated Hassan Abu Kuik, a key Hamas commander. Israel’s two-pronged operation, in southern Gaza and northern Gaza, illustrates how the IDF continues to weaken Hamas over the long term.
Related Analysis
“Hamas Critic Badly Beaten in Gaza by Masked Men,” FDD Flash Brief
“Israel Targets Hamas and Islamic Jihad Terrorists Hiding in UNRWA School,” FDD Flash Brief
“Gaza Terrorists Exploit Two More UNRWA Facilities,” FDD Flash Brief