JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has published a map of what it called 鈥渆vacuation zones鈥� in the Gaza Strip, after international demands to create safe areas where civilians can shelter from devastating bombardments.
A truce pausing fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory expired on Friday, and hostilities resumed immediately, with Israeli forces bombarding several areas.
The map, which is in Arabic and zoomable on the military鈥檚 website, divides the Gaza Strip into hundreds of numbered sectors.
The military said it was intended to enable residents to 鈥渆vacuate from specific places for their safety if required.鈥�
Residents in multiple numbered areas were sent SMS warnings on Friday.
The Israeli forces 鈥渨ill begin a crushing military attack on your area of residence to eliminate the terrorist organization Hamas,鈥� the warnings said, urging people to seek some shelter.

鈥淪tay away from all military activity of every kind,鈥� they added.
Around 10 minutes later the explosions started.
Mobile networks in the Gaza Strip can be slow, with SMS deliveries sometimes taking several minutes.
In its announcement, the military said Hamas 鈥渢urns civilian sites into military targets while using civilians and civilian facilities as a human shield.鈥�
The map was intended to enable residents 鈥渢o orient themselves and understand the instructions, and to evacuate from specific places for their safety if required,鈥� it added.
The military did not immediately respond when asked by AFP how much notice was given to residents before an assault.
During the first phase of the war, Israel urged civilians in the northern Gaza Strip to relocate to the southern part of the territory, but UN reports indicate that a third of those killed died south of the boundary line.