THE Israeli military has told the UN that everyone living north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza in the next 24 hours, says a UN spokesperson.
The UN says this amounts to approximately 1.1 million people – about half the population of the entire Gaza Strip. The affected area includes densely populated Gaza City.
The alert was given just before midnight, Gaza and Jerusalem time (23:00 GMT).
“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” the UN said in a statement.
Israel has been preparing for a ground offensive, gathering soldiers, heavy artillery and tanks on the border of Gaza. It has been launching airstrikes on Gaza since Saturday after Hamas militants’ surprise attack on Israel.
The early evacuation order is part of Israel’s “humanitarian measures” in the Gaza Strip, says Israeli spokesperson Jonathan Conricus.
In his latest video update posted on X, formerly called Twitter, he said their aim was to save lives, adding: “Civilians are not our enemy.”
He said the military wants to minimise civilian casualties as it strikes targets in the Gaza Strip, and that it remains fully committed to the laws of international armed conflict.
“We understand it will take time,” he said about the evacuation. “It’s not an easy process.”
About 1.1 million people – half of the entire population of the Gaza Strip – are affected by the evacuation order.
