GAZA CITY: After Israel’s warning to evacuate, thousands of innocent Palestinians in Gaza have rushed southward, seeking refuge from Israel’s violence, anticipating an impending Israeli forces’ ground offensive.
After Hamas resistance group breached the heavily fortified border around the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched unrelenting airstrikes on Gaza resulting in the martyrdom of more than thousand innocent Palestinian civilians. On Friday, Israel issued an evacuation order, heightening fears of a large-scale ground operation.
The ongoing Israeli military’s airstrikes have taken a devastating toll, with nearly 1,800 Gaza residents martyred, including over 580 children, in waves of missile strikes on the densely populated enclave. Tensions have escalated across the Middle East, triggering protests in support of the Palestinians. Israel also faces the threat of a potential confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
UN Expresses Concerns Over Israel’s Evacuation Order for Gaza Residents
The United Nations expressed grave concerns over Israel’s evacuation order, deeming it “impossible” to move nearly half of Gaza’s population, approximately 1.1 million people, in such a short time. Aid agencies warned that mass evacuations would strain resources due to the Israeli blockade, leading to shortages of fuel, food, and water. Hospitals in Gaza were overwhelmed, and the health system was already at a “breaking point.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II called for “humanitarian corridors” to be urgently opened, and international leaders condemned the ongoing siege, labeling Israel’s evacuation order as a “forced transfer” constituting a “crime.”
Israel faced the potential of a second front in the north, with Hezbollah in Lebanon expressing readiness to join the war alongside Hamas. The United States sent additional munitions and its largest aircraft carrier to the region, ensuring Israel of “iron-clad” US support.
