Israeli forces have ordered dozens of Palestinian families to leave parts of southern Gaza, marking the first forced evacuation since the ceasefire reached in October, residents and Hamas officials said on Tuesday.
The evacuation orders were delivered through leaflets dropped on Monday over the Al-Reqeb neighbourhood of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, where families have been living in tents and partially damaged homes.
The leaflets, written in Arabic, Hebrew and English, warned residents to leave immediately.
“Urgent message. The area is under IDF control. You must evacuate immediately,” the notice read.
Israel’s military confirmed that it distributed the leaflets but denied any intention to forcibly displace civilians, saying the warnings were issued to prevent Palestinians from crossing the armistice line with Hamas.
Before the ceasefire, similar leaflet drops often preceded ground raids or air strikes, forcing repeated displacement of families across the enclave. Residents and a Hamas source said this was the first such incident since the truce came into force.
Mahmoud, a resident of Bani Suhaila who declined to give his surname, said at least 70 families were affected by the latest evacuation order.
“We have fled the area and relocated westward. It is maybe the fourth or fifth time the occupation expanded the yellow line since last month,” he told Reuters by phone from Khan Younis.
“Each time they move it around 120 to 150 metres (yards) inside the Palestinian-controlled territory, swallowing more land,” the father of three added.
The ceasefire has so far stalled after its first phase, during which major fighting paused, Israel pulled back from parts of Gaza, and Hamas released hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees and prisoners. More than two million people remain confined to roughly one-third of Gaza’s territory, living mostly in makeshift shelters and damaged buildings under a Hamas-led administration.
Also Read:Â Hamas Hands Over Three More Hostage Bodies to Israel
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of serious ceasefire violations, with no agreement yet on the more complex next stages.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said Israeli forces had expanded the area under their control in eastern Khan Younis five times since the ceasefire, displacing at least 9,000 people.
“On Monday, 19 January 2026, the Israeli occupation forces dropped warning leaflets demanding the forced evacuation of the Bani Suhaila area in eastern Khan Younis Governorate, in a measure that falls within a policy of intimidation and pressure on civilians,” Thawabta told Reuters.
He said the most recent orders affected around 3,000 people.
“The move created a state of humanitarian disruption, increased pressure on the already limited shelter areas, and further deepened the internal displacement crisis in the governorate,” he added.
Israel’s military has previously said it opened fire after identifying what it described as “terrorists” crossing the yellow line and approaching its troops. It has continued to carry out air strikes and targeted operations across Gaza, stating it treats any attempts by militant groups to attack Israel “with utmost severity”.
Future phases of the ceasefire, which remain under negotiation, are expected to include Hamas disarming, further Israeli withdrawal, and the establishment of an internationally backed administration to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction under a plan promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Since the ceasefire took effect, more than 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed. Israel launched its Gaza offensive following an attack by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. Gaza’s health authorities say at least 71,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.
