Tel Aviv [Israel]: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that its air force struck around 50 targets overnight in Gaza, mostly concentrated in Gaza City, bringing the total number of strikes to 140 in the past 24 hours. The targets included tunnels, operational cells, and buildings used by militant groups, as Israel continues its largest offensive in Gaza’s most densely populated urban area.
Gaza City under heavy bombardment
According to the IDF, the strikes were part of a push to dismantle Hamas’ last stronghold. On Monday, Israeli jets hit a weapons production facility linked to Hamas, where operatives were reportedly manufacturing explosives. The attack triggered secondary explosions, which the military said indicated the presence of weapons stockpiles.
“The forces are eliminating terrorists and destroying military structures that were used by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip,” an IDF spokesperson said.
Over the past two days, Israel’s air force and artillery units have targeted more than 150 locations in Gaza City, in support of ground troops maneuvering into new sectors.
Mass evacuation continues
The IDF estimates that around 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since the offensive began, out of a pre-war population of about 1 million. Military officials urged civilians to move to a designated humanitarian zone in Mawasi, southern Gaza, stressing that the evacuation was critical for safety.
To ease congestion, Israel has reopened the Salah al-Din highway, Gaza’s main north-south route, for evacuation between noon Tuesday and noon Friday. The route was previously used for evacuations during earlier stages of the conflict.
“We call on citizens not to be swayed by rumors and disinformation. Hamas is spreading lies to prevent evacuation, using civilians as human shields,” the IDF said in a statement.
Hamas accused of disinformation
Israel accused Hamas of trying to block evacuations through propaganda and coercion. Military officials described the militant group as being in a “hysterical state,” relying on disinformation as a weapon while its strongholds collapse under Israeli firepower.
The IDF emphasized that its campaign is focused on eliminating terrorist operatives and dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure, but insisted that civilians should leave the combat zones to avoid casualties.
Conflict background
The renewed offensive follows Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 252 Israelis and foreigners being taken hostage.
Of the 48 hostages still held, Israeli officials believe around 20 remain alive. Their fate remains a central issue for both military planners and negotiators as the war continues.
Israel maintains that its strikes are aimed at crippling Hamas’s military capacity while allowing safe evacuation corridors for civilians, though international agencies have raised concerns over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.