Military says troops killed deputy Nukhba force commander, destroyed Hamas command post; Palestinian residents flee Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood

The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that it had expanded its ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip, with troops pushing into Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood.

According to the military, the operations are aimed at expanding Israel’s buffer zone along the Gaza border.

The IDF said that so far, troops have killed several terror operatives and destroyed infrastructure, including a Hamas command center.

The military said it is enabling civilians to evacuate the area “for their safety.” It had issued evacuation warnings for Shejaiya on Thursday.

Israel had issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza ahead of ground operations. The UN humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since the ceasefire with Hamas fell apart last month.

Throughout the war, the IDF has issued evacuation orders for various areas, advising residents to head for safe zones to avoid being caught up in the fighting. Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields by embedding its fighters among the population.

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