Israel Orders Northern Gaza Strip Residents to Evacuate as Conflict with Hamas Intensifies
United Nations – The Israeli military has issued an order for the entire population in northern Gaza to evacuate south, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalates. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) informed the United Nations of this directive late on Thursday night, urging the population to relocate within the next 24 hours.
According to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the UN, the organization believes that such a movement would result in devastating humanitarian consequences. The UN strongly appeals for this order to be rescinded, in order to prevent the tragedy from evolving into a calamitous situation.
However, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the UN’s response, labelling it as “shameful” and accused it of ignoring the brutality of the recent attacks by Hamas.
Early on Friday, the IDF ordered the hundreds of thousands of residents in Gaza City to move further south in the Gaza Strip for their own safety. In response, Hamas called on Palestinians to remain in their homes. The situation has caused confusion and chaos among the residents, as they try to navigate the conflicting instructions.
Since Hamas invaded southern Israel on October 7th, prompting Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes, at least 338,000 Gaza residents have been displaced, according to the latest numbers from the UN. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 1,537 residents have been killed in Israel’s counterattacks, including 500 children, and another 6,600 have been wounded.
Additionally, Israel has imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, preventing the entry of essential supplies like food, water, gas, medicine, and electricity. This has pushed the region to the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli military has also amassed around 300,000 soldiers outside the Gaza Strip. While they have not explicitly confirmed plans for a ground assault, they have indicated that they are making preparations for the next stage of the conflict.
The Israel-Gaza conflict has caused significant damage and loss of life on both sides. With no signs of a ceasefire, the United Nations and international community continue to work towards a resolution to end the violence and ensure the safety and well-being of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Pamela Falk, CBS News correspondent covering the United Nations, contributed to this report.