The exodus from Gaza City has accelerated, with more than 800,000 Palestinians leaving the urban center over the past week as Israel prepares to expand its ground campaign, according to Israeli security officials.

Southern Command estimates suggest between 30,000 and 50,000 residents have fled the city each day, with the total expected to hit one million as Israel moves closer to authorizing a full push into the city center. Officials said between 250,000 and 350,000 Palestinians remain inside Gaza City.

Defense officials hailed the evacuation plan, calling it one of the largest population movements in the history of the conflict. “The public is moving to the south of the Strip,” a security source told reporters, noting that Hamas efforts to block the flow of civilians through intimidation and roadblocks have largely failed.

With the next phases of the maneuver already approved, commanders are preparing to press deeper into the city. The expectation is that Hamas will shift to guerrilla tactics once the Israel Defense Forces engage at full strength.

Israeli officials accused Hamas of deliberately inflating reports of humanitarian collapse in southern Gaza. “Hamas is trying to generate all kinds of false narratives about the collapse of the health system, starvation, and sanitation,” the security source said.

The official pointed to humanitarian assessments showing an average of 350 aid trucks entering Gaza daily, more than 20,000 tents provided by international groups, and functioning medical facilities in the south. “The health system in the south of the Strip is functioning; it is not collapsing as they are trying to portray,” the source added.

Still, humanitarian groups and Palestinian civilians on the ground have pushed back on these claims, warning of shortages, overcrowded shelters, and worsening sanitation. While Israel insists conditions are adequate, residents continue to blame both Hamas and Israel for their plight.

Even as civilians flee, Hamas has sought to consolidate control by cracking down on dissent and expanding its network of informants. The group has reportedly carried out executions, beatings, and street patrols to maintain an atmosphere of fear.

In the south, Hamas has clashed with several influential clans over aid distribution. Two clan leaders were killed in recent weeks, security officials said, leaving only the Abu-Amra clan still aligned with Hamas. Despite the pressure, Hamas continues to maintain limited governance structures — paying salaries, clearing roads, repairing sewage lines, and conducting rescue operations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)