Today (Saturday), the Israeli army called for the evacuation of new areas east of the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip and others in its north, in preparation for expanding its attacks in Rafah.

The army spokesman, Avichai Adraee, said to the Arab media on his page on the ((X)) platform today, “We call on the residents of the Rafah and Shaboura camps and the Al-Adari, Al-Jeneina and Khirbet Al-Adas neighborhoods... to immediately go to the expanded humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi” southwest of the Gaza Strip.

The statement added that some neighborhoods in these areas east of Rafah "are witnessing Hamas terrorist activities in recent days and weeks, along with other terrorist structures."

Last Monday, the Israeli army called on the residents of the eastern region of Rafah, about 100,000 Palestinians, to evacuate and head to the Al-Mawasi area, a day before announcing operational control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing as part of a surprise operation to “neutralize terrorist targets.” belonging to Hamas, east of Rafah.

Rafah represents the last refuge for more than 1.4 million Palestinians after their displacement from the northern and central Gaza Strip in light of the ongoing violent war between Hamas and Israel for more than seven months.

In addition, the army called on all residents and displaced people in the Jabalia area and the neighborhoods of Al-Salam, Al-Nour, Tal Al-Zaatar, the Beit Lahia project, the Jabalia camp, Ezbet Mlin, Al-Rawda, Al-Nuzha, Al-Jarn, Al-Nahda and Al-Zuhur to go immediately to shelters west of Gaza City.

He said, "Hamas is trying to rebuild its capabilities in the region, and therefore it will work with extreme force against terrorist organizations in the region," warning residents of the danger to their lives of approaching the security fence separating them.

This call comes as the Israeli army continues its fighting and air attacks in various areas of the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian security and medical sources reported today that more than 40 Palestinians were martyred in nighttime Israeli air and artillery attacks in Gaza.

Security sources told Xinhua News Agency that Israeli warplanes launched a number of raids on the night of (Friday - Saturday) in Deir Al-Balah, Al-Nuseirat, and Al-Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip.

The sources added that the violent and intense Israeli raids throughout the night until this morning targeted inhabited residential homes and agricultural lands.

In turn, medical sources reported that the Israeli bombing led to the death of 30 people, including children and women, and the wounding of others with varying injuries. All of them were transferred to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, whose courtyard was crowded with the families of the dead.

In the city of Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip, aircraft bombed several targets in the Al-Salam neighborhood and the vicinity of the Rafah crossing, without any casualties being reported.

In addition, Israeli artillery shelled dozens of residential homes in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City, which is being subjected to a military campaign for the third day in a row.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that the bombing led to the death of 8 people, while civil defense crews were unable to recover others who were under the rubble.

The Israeli army announced the day before yesterday (Thursday) the start of a military campaign in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City, the second in 3 months, as the first was last February and lasted several weeks.

Seven people were also killed and others sustained varying injuries as a result of aircraft bombing homes in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical sources.

Among the dead were a journalist, his wife, and his son, which brings the number of journalists killed in the Strip since October 7 to about 140, according to the government media office in Gaza.

For its part, Hebrew Public Radio said that the Israeli army launched a wave of raids on Friday evening and early this morning against “hostile” targets throughout the Gaza Strip.

The attacks focused on Gaza City, the center, north and south of the Strip, according to Hebrew Radio.