Gaza: The Israeli army issued an urgent warning to residents of the Gaza Strip on Thursday, announcing a ban on movement through the Salah al-Din axis and restricting it to Rashid Road. Israeli army Spokesman Avichay Adraee stated that “over the past few hours, IDF forces have launched a limited ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip with the aim of expanding the defensive zone between the northern and southern Gaza Strip. During the operation, forces deployed as far as the central Netzarim axis.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the spokesperson added, “For your safety, movement between the northern and southern Gaza Strip is prohibited on the Salah al-Din axis,” noting that movement from the northern Gaza Strip to the south is permitted only via the Rashid (sea) road. The Spokesperson emphasized that “the IDF does not intend to harm the population, and therefore, approaching IDF forces in the defensive zone and anywhere they are deployed is prohibited.”

Israel resumed its military operations against the Gaza Strip at dawn on Tuesday, ending a fragile truce that had lasted for about two months. The truce began last January with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediation. Israel carried out a series of intensive airstrikes and artillery shelling on several areas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Israeli bombardment resulted in the deaths and injuries of more than 1,000 people, amid Arab and international condemnation of this attack, which violated the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.