In a video message published by the Times of Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that an operation to capture Gaza City would soon begin and urged residents to leave.
He stressed that in recent days the army had destroyed several high-rise buildings that, he claimed, were being used as "terror cells." According to Netanyahu, 50 such targets have been eliminated.
"This is only a prelude to the main intensive operation—the ground actions of our forces, who are already assembling in Gaza City. Therefore I say to the residents of Gaza, and listen to me carefully: you have been warned. Get out of there!" the Israeli prime minister declared.