![Palestinians flee with their belongings to the safe areas after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Gaza on May 17, 2025.[Ali Jadallah - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AA-20250517-37989862-37989838-PALESTINIANS_CONTINUE_TO_FLEE_TO_SAFE_AREAS_AFTER_ISRAELI_ATTACKS-1.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
“People of Gaza, the Israeli army is coming,” read leaflets dropped by Israel on Gaza on Saturday, threatening to escalate its ongoing military campaign, which has lasted for 19 months, with a new ground offensive, Anadolu reports.
The leaflets were scattered over several neighborhoods and bore the warning: “People of Gaza, the Israeli army is coming,” eyewitnesses told Anadolu.
The leaflets were dropped a day after the Israeli military announced the expansion of its large-scale assault on Gaza under what it calls “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.”
READ: UN chief condemns reported Israeli plans for Gaza ground operation
According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, the operation aims for the complete occupation of Gaza.
During US President Donald Trump’s recent four-day Gulf tour, Israeli forces killed over 378 Palestinians—nearly four times the number killed in the four days prior to his visit, which saw about 100 fatalities—according to Anadolu’s tally of Gaza Health Ministry data.
Since March 2, Israel has barred all supplies, including food, water and medicine from entering Gaza.
Israel also abandoned the ceasefire and resumed bombarding Gaza on March 18. The death toll since October 2023, when the war began, has crossed 53,200.
READ: Microsoft confirms AI, cloud services to Israeli Defense Ministry amid Gaza war scrutiny
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