'Sinwar's barrier of fear is broken': Hundreds of civilians safely evacuate from Jabalya, Gaza

Hundreds of Gazan civilians have evacuated Jabalya as the IDF continues to operate against terrorists in the area, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote in a post to X/Twitter on Saturday. 

As part of a joint IDF and Shin Bet (ISA) operation on Friday evening, after the 162nd Division operated against terrorists and terror infrastructure in Jabalya, hundreds of civilians evacuated from the area. 

During the operations, the IDF allowed civilians to safely evacuate from the area via organized routes, and hundreds of people left the area. 

Additionally, the IDF and Shin Bet arrested a number of terrorists and detained them for further investigation. Ammunition was found on one of the terrorists. 

The 162nd Division eliminated dozens of terrorists and found combat equipment in operations conducted over the past day. 

#عاجل حاجز الخوف من السنوار ينكسر: بعد ممارسة ضغوطات مستمرة – بدء مغادرة مئات المدنيين من جباليا⭕️في إطار عملية مشتركة لجيش الدفاع وجهاز الأمن العام (الشاباك) الليلة الماضية وبعد ان عملت قوات الفرقة 162 ضد المخربين والبنى الإرهابية في منطقة جباليا بدأ مئات المدنيين باخلاء… pic.twitter.com/l2h3UfYdse

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) October 19, 2024

The IDF also reiterated that it is working in coordination with COGAT and communicating to the international community that it is working to maintain the operation of emergency systems in hospitals by transferring medical equipment and a fuel stockpile, along with evacuating crews and patients. 

On Saturday, COGAT announced that an airdrop operation of 81 food packages was completed  in the area of Khan Yunis.

Killing Sinwar

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by the IDF in Tel Sultan in Rafah on Wednesday in an unplanned operation.

IDF troops suspected there were Hamas terrorists in the building area which they eventually fired on. Afterward, they found Sinwar’s body inside.

One of the terrorists targeted in the IDF strike in Gaza was Hamas's Khan Yunis division commander, who has been in close proximity to Sinwar since the start of the war.

Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.