Israel publishes map of Gaza Strip zones to help civilians evacuate as fighting resumes

The Israel Defense Forces have published a map Friday that divides the Gaza Strip into hundreds of zones, which it says will allow civilians there “to orient themselves and to evacuate from specific places for their safety if required.” 

The release comes as the IDF says it has launched the “next stage of the war” following the collapse of a cease-fire deal that wasn’t extended into Friday. 

“Please pay attention and check this map. Anyone who sees the block number in which he lives or is near it must track and follow the instructions of the IDF through various media outlets and obey them,” the IDF wrote on its website. “It is a safe way to preserve your safety, your lives, and the lives of your families.” 

Earlier today, the IDF wrote on X that Hamas has “violated the operational pause” in combat and fired towards Israeli territory. 

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Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel on Friday, Dec. 1. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

“The IDF has resumed combat against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza,” it declared. 

The temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas first went into effect last Friday and lasted through Thursday. 

Over the weeklong period, Hamas freed more than 100 of the hostages it was holding in the Gaza Strip in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israel, according to The Associated Press. 

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This picture taken from southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip shows a rocket being fired from inside Gaza towards Israel, as battles resumed between the Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Friday. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

But as of Friday, Israel says around 125 men are still in Hamas captivity somewhere in the war-torn Gaza Strip, the news agency adds. 

“Since the beginning of the war in Gaza against the Hamas terrorist organization, it has been using the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields, planting its headquarters and military infrastructure in their residential areas, hospitals, mosques, and schools, converting civilian sites to military targets, thus violating the international law on the rules of war, which explicitly stipulates that civilians should not be used as human shields,” the IDF said Friday. 

Smoke rises above buildings during an Israeli strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. (SAID KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images)

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“The IDF takes all possible precautions to avoid causing loss of civilian life or injury, adopting all available means,” it added alongside its release of the map.