The Israeli military accused Hamas of using an announcement telling Gaza residents to move safely south as an opportunity to fire on soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces.
"The Hamas terrorist organization exploited the humanitarian window that the IDF provided to residents of the Gaza Strip to move southwards," the IDF said in a statement. "The terrorists fired mortars and anti-tank missiles at IDF troops who arrived and operated to open the route."
Earlier Saturday, the IDF had called on Gaza residents via its Arabic account on X, formerly known as Twitter, to use the main Salah-al-Din Road to move south for a three-hour period from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time. It's unclear how many Gaza residents have access to internet to see the message.
The IDF said no soldiers were hurt in the incident, but that it served as proof that Hamas "exploits the Gazan population and prevents them from acting in the interest of their own safety."
In its statement, the IDF provided links to a video, photos and audio it claimed showed Hamas opening fire toward the route during the window.
CNN is unable to verify the authenticity of the material.
More context: The IDF has repeatedly called for civilians in Gaza to move south of Wadi Gaza as it has intensified its air and ground assault on Gaza City and northern Gaza, including strikes on densely populated areas and civilian infrastructure that the IDF has said is being used by Hamas militants.
International aid and rights groups have been critical of Israel's calls for residents to evacuate the north without a pause in fighting, as transportation infrastructure has also been damaged. It has also recently struck several targets in the southern strip.