IDF Issues Warnings to Aid Organizations Ahead of Civilian Evacuation from Gaza City

Latest Developments

IDF Issues Warnings to Medical Staff and Aid Organizations: The IDF announced on August 21 that its Coordination of Government Affairs in the Territories (COGAT) unit has warned medical authorities and international aid organizations to prepare for the civilian evacuation of Gaza City ahead of Israel’s planned ground offensive. Speaking to a Gaza-based medical official, a COGAT officer reportedly said that “there will be a full evacuation from Gaza [City] to the southern Strip,” which would “require you to prepare a plan for transferring medical equipment from north to south: We are going to provide you with a place to be, whether it is a field hospital or another hospital.” The IDF said that COGAT officers “emphasized to the medical authorities that adjustments are being made to the infrastructure of hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip to accommodate patients and the injured, alongside an increased supply of medical equipment” at the request of international aid organizations.
Israel Acknowledges Failure During Khan Yunis Attack: The IDF said that an August 20 attack during which Hamas terrorists managed to breach a Kfir Brigade encampment in Khan Yunis represented an operational “failure.” According to an IDF investigation of the incident, the terrorists utilized a tunnel to launch the coordinated assault that was previously known to the Israeli military, having dug a new shaft inside the destroyed tunnel entrance. IDF infantry soldiers and tanks eliminated eight Hamas terrorists inside the encampment; seven others were killed by airstrikes outside the post; and a further eight managed to flee back into the tunnel, according to the IDF probe. Three IDF soldiers were injured during the battle, one seriously and two lightly.
Prime Minister to Review Gaza City Plans: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly hold a security meeting with top IDF officials and political ministers to approve the Israeli military’s proposed plan to take control of Gaza City. The consultation is set to take place amid intensifying IDF operations in the Zeitoun area on the outskirts of Gaza City, where a soldier was moderately injured by suspected Hamas sniper fire on August 21. Israeli officials said this week that Jerusalem is studying a proposal for a phased hostage-ceasefire deal that was reportedly accepted on August 17 by Hamas, despite Netanyahu’s stated opposition to a partial deal.

FDD Expert Response

“The glaring takeaway from the Khan Yunis attack is that despite possessing intelligence on suspicious activity in the area and preparing an ambush to counter potential threats, the IDF was unable to prevent terrorists from breaching the encampment. Next time, there may not be any signs of a possible attack. The IDF must be aware that Hamas has warned rhetorically and through its actions that it is attempting to secure a strategic battlefield win. Hamas’s setback in Khan Yunis will not deter it from future attempts to mount similar operations.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

“The IDF plan to evacuate civilians and civilian services to the south of Gaza highlights the IDF’s efforts to avoid non-combatant casualties. With the slow build up to the operation in Gaza City, Netanyahu believes that he is turning the screws on Hamas and that his maximum pressure campaign will deliver better terms for Israel and the remaining hostages.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network