Israel orders Gaza families to move out of their homes in the Gaza

Israeli forces ordered dozens of Palestinian families in the southern Gaza Strip to leave their homes in the first forced evacuation since October's ceasefire, as residents and Hamas said on Tuesday the military was expanding the area it controls.



Residents of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, said the leaflets were dropped on Monday on families living in tent encampments in the Al-Reqeb neighbourhood.



Israel's military denied ⁠having plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from the area.



It confirmed the leaflet drops but said they were aimed at warning Palestinians not to cross the armistice line with Hamas.



In the two-year war before the U.S. brokered ceasefire was signed in October, Israel dropped leaflets over areas that were subsequently raided or bombarded, forcing some families to move several times.



Residents and a source from the Hamas militant group said this was the first time they had been dropped since then.