Northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya residents say they’ve been warned by Israeli military to evacuate
Residents and journalists in northern Gaza have told CNN they received fliers and heard announcements from the Israeli military calling on them to evacuate or their lives would be in danger.
The fliers, which CNN has seen images of, were dropped on the Mashrou’ neighborhood of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza with the Israeli military’s insignia, according to residents.
“Urgent warning! To all those in shelters and hospitals, you are in a dangerous combat area. For your own safety, immediately move towards the Indonesian Hospital through Al-Awda Street and the main street of Beit Lahiya. Any movement in a different direction will put your life in danger,” the flier read.
CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the flier and has reached out to the Israeli military.
Throughout the war, the Israeli military has dropped evacuation warning fliers in Gaza. Northern Gaza, in particular, has seen an expansion of these warnings in recent weeks since the Israeli military began its renewed operation there this month.
In a video shared by a resident in Beit Lahiya, a man is heard on a speaker saying he is with the Israel Defense Forces. He calls on all residents to evacuate, saying that their lives are in danger and the “military is going to explode the whole area.”
A journalist based in northern Gaza also told CNN that residents near Kamal Adwan Hospital are being told to evacuate by the Israeli military and move towards the nearby Indonesian Hospital.
CNN is attempting to reach authorities at Kamal Adwan Hospital, but with a communication blackout in the area over the past few days, contact with officials has been difficult.
“The situation is catastrophic in Mashrou’ Beit Lahiya,” the journalist said. “People don’t know where to go … Honestly, it’s a disaster.”
Videos shared by residents showed crowds of people evacuating the area.
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