The Israeli military on Friday published a map of what it called “evacuation zones” in the Gaza Strip, after international demands to create safe areas where civilians can shelter from devastating bombardments.
A truce pausing fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory expired Friday and hostilities resumed immediately, with Israeli forces bombarding several areas and Palestinian militants firing rockets towards Israel.
The map, which is in Arabic and zoomable on the military’s website, divides the Gaza Strip into hundreds of numbered sectors.
The military said it was intended to enable residents to “evacuate from specific places for their safety if required”.
Residents in multiple numbered areas were sent SMS warnings on Friday.
“The IDF will begin a crushing military attack on your area of residence with the aim of eliminating the terrorist organisation Hamas,” the warnings said, urging people to seek some shelter.
“Stay away from all military activity of every kind,” they added.
Around 10 minutes later the explosions started. Mobile networks in the Gaza Strip can be slow, with SMS deliveries sometimes taking several minutes.
The territory’s Hamas-run government says more than 15,000 people were killed in the first phase of the war, and images of wholescale destruction, particularly in northern Gaza, have raised concerns in the international community.
