Israel confirmed on Sunday evening reports from recent days that it allowed Anwar Atallah, a member of Gaza City Council affiliated with Hamas, to leave the Gaza Strip with his family. Atallah departed about two weeks ago through Jordan to Turkey, with approval from Israel’s defense establishment.
The confirmation came as Hamas urged residents of Gaza City not to evacuate ahead of an expected Israeli offensive, even as some of its own officials sought to leave the territory.
Israeli officials did not explain what led to the decision on Atallah, aside from noting that he is not a senior Hamas figure. At the same time, they announced that senior Hamas members and their families who applied to leave have been barred.
According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, several Hamas officials recently submitted requests for their families to leave Gaza, and some asked to leave themselves. All were denied. Among those who sought to leave, according to the coordinator’s office, were Mohammed Madhoun, a Hamas minister; the family of Ismail Ashkar, head of Hamas’ foreign affairs and defense committee; and the family of Alaa al-Din Bata, head of a Hamas governmental committee.
Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, the coordinator of government activities, wrote on his Arabic-language Facebook page that “the terrorist organization is calling on you, residents of Gaza City, not to head south — while its own operatives fear for their lives and seek to leave the Gaza Strip. They use you as human shields while looking out for themselves.”
He added: “The hypocrisy of Hamas is exposed. While its operatives try to flee with their families, the murderous organization abandons you, residents of Gaza, and inflicts psychological terror on you to stay as human shields. Hamas is orchestrating a vile campaign for its deadly goals. It endangers you, harms your families and sacrifices the entire Strip on the altar of terror, dragging Gaza toward ruin. Do not let the organization’s lies harm you.”
IDF strikes in Gaza City
Earlier Sunday, the IDF struck the Mahna Tower in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood. Before the strike, the nearby al-Kawthar Tower was also hit, after Arabic-language military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee urged residents to evacuate. Leaflets calling for evacuation were also dropped over Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood.
Shortly afterward, the military bombed the Mahna Tower, which officials said Hamas used for observation posts. Reports from Gaza said a car near Shifa Hospital was also targeted, killing one Palestinian and wounding several others, alongside heavy shelling in Tel al-Hawa. The military said steps were taken to minimize civilian casualties.
The strikes are part of an ongoing wave of attacks in Gaza City, which also hit the prosecutor’s office, a radio building and the al-Nour Tower.