The Israel Defense Forces released an audio recording of an officer from Unit 504 of the Military Intelligence Directorate - specializing in HUMINT - speaking to a Gazan man, during which he describes how Hamas is preventing people from evacuating from the northern part of the Gaza Strip and even firing coldly at them.
The IDF reports that soldiers from Unit 504 have been calling Palestinians in northern Gaza in recent days, instructing them to leave the area for their safety, as the army intensifies strikes in the Gaza City area ahead of an expected major ground invasion.
In the audio recording, the Israeli army officer can be heard calling for a man to head towards Khan Younis in southern Gaza, but Gaza responds by saying Hamas has blocked all roads in the area.
The man says that Hamas is putting up barricades with cars and "just sending people back to their homes."
Gaza also says Hamas members are shooting in cold blood at Palestinians trying to leave the area.
The Israeli army has accused Hamas of preventing Palestinians from evacuating the south several times since the war began on October 7.
Police say 808 civilian victims of the October 7 Hamas attack have been identified to date.
Police say this represents 84% of the civilians believed to have been killed.
Authorities said there were difficulties in identifying many of the bodies, as they were badly burned or mutilated.
Police say 701 victims have been buried so far.
In addition to the civilian casualties, more than 300 members of the security forces have been killed.
IDF spokesman Vice Admiral Daniel Haggari says the military has so far notified the families of 224 hostages that their loved ones are being held in the Gaza Strip.
He says the number is not final as the military investigates new information.
The number does not include four freed hostages - mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Ra'anan, who were freed on Friday night, and elderly women Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper who were released on Monday night.
