The Israeli military on Tuesday ordered all residents of Gaza City and its neighbourhoods to “evacuate immediately”, saying it would operate with “great force” to eliminate Palestinian militant group Hamas.

“For your safety, evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid axis towards the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi,” the Israeli Defence Force’s spokesperson posted on X in Arabic. “Remaining in the area is extremely dangerous.”

The Israeli military also dropped leaflets over residents of Gaza City living among the rubble, carrying a similar warning, Al Jazeera reported.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the military action so far was “only the beginning of the main, intensive operation”, BBC reported.

He said: “I say to the residents of Gaza, take this opportunity and listen to me carefully: you have been warned – get out of there!”

The military has reportedly instructed Gaza City residents to move to a so-called “humanitarian zone” in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis on the southern coast.

However, the area is already overcrowded, with thousands of Palestinians sheltering in tents, Reuters reported.

Israel has also regularly bombed the south, including Al-Mawasi, according to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

The area is one of the smallest humanitarian zones designated by the Israeli military and covers only about 12% of Gaza’s landmass, BBC reported.

On August 8, Tel Aviv announced plans to take military control of Gaza City, marking a major escalation in its nearly two-year war against Hamas.

On August 20, Israel’s security cabinet approved the plan to take control of the city.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, leaving more than 62,000 persons dead.

In August, the United Nations formally declared a famine in northern Gaza, warning that it could spread from the Gaza Governorate to Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis in the coming weeks.

Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks since July 6. Earlier efforts to reinstate a brief ceasefire that took effect in January had stalled due to disagreements between the two sides.