IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered civilians to evacuate a section of Gaza City, advising them to move southwards towards humanitarian zones in Khan Yunis and Al-Mawasi.

The IDF struck a building with Hamas infrastructure and surveillance equipment, IDF spokesperson in Arabic Col. Avichay Adraee wrote on X/Twitter on Saturday.

Adraee ordered civilians to evacuate a section of Gaza City earlier on Saturday, advising them to move southwards towards humanitarian zones in Khan Yunis and Al-Mawasi.

In his statement, Adraee detailed measures taken to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties, including the evacuation notices, use of precise striking techniques, and IDF-gathered intelligence.

One of the targets included a high-rise Gaza City tower that the military said was being used by Hamas.

Defense Minister Israel Katz shared a video on X/Twitter of what appeared to be the multi-story building collapsing after the strike, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.

The IDF said Hamas used the building to gather intelligence and that explosive devices had been planted nearby. Hamas denied using the building for military purposes, and Palestinians said it had been used to shelter the displaced.

On Friday, the military bombed another high-rise tower that was reported to be used by Hamas.

IDF invades Gaza City

The Saturday strike is part of the military’s invasion of Gaza City that began on Friday.

“In the coming days, the IDF will carry out precise, targeted strikes against terrorist infrastructure that poses a direct threat to IDF troops,” the military stated ahead of the operation.

In previous weeks, the IDF carried out additional strikes in Gaza, killing prominent Hamas officials such as Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida.

Last Thursday saw a new photograph that showed Obeida with other Hamas officials who have been killed in the Gaza war. Mohammed Odeh, head of Hamas’s Intelligence Staff, is said to be the only one in the photo who hasn’t been killed by the IDF during the Israel-Hamas war.

On Sunday, shortly after the killing of Obeida, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir threatened Hamas leaders abroad, saying, “We will reach them too.”

Avi Ashkenazi contributed to this report.