The military announced that it would be handing out tents and other housing equipment starting on Sunday.
Hamas said on Sunday that Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands of residents in the area.
The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel into southern Gaza was a “blatant deception”.
An aerial view from a Jordanian military aircraft shows the Gaza Strip, before humanitarian aid is airdropped over it, in Gaza, August 17, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ALAA AL SUKHNI)
IDF expands war in Gaza
The IDF said it is preparing to provide tents and other equipment starting from Sunday ahead of its plan to relocate residents from combat zones to the south of the enclave “to ensure their safety”.
Hamas said in a statement that the deployment of tents under the guise of humanitarian purposes is a blatant deception intended to “cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute”.
Israel said earlier this month that it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban centre. The plan has raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, which is home to about 2.2 million people.
The IDF increased operations on the outskirts of Gaza City over the past week. Residents in the neighborhoods of Zeitorun and Shejaia have reported heavy Israeli aerial and tank fire which has destroyed many houses.