Israeli military orders more than one million Palestinians in north Gaza to evacuate, UN says
13.10.2023 - 09:09
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Israel's military has told more than one million Palestinians living in Gaza to evacuate the north, according to the United Nations. It is an unprecedented order for almost half the population of the sealed-off territory ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group.
The UN has warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which staged a brutal attack on Israel this week, dismissed the order as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes, adding to the widespread panic.
The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked confusion among civilians and aid workers already running from Israeli air strikes and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide power blackout.
READ MORE: PM calls on Israel to 'protect ordinary Palestinians' as it hunts Hamas terrorists
READ MORE: British hostages in Gaza 'very likely', Grant Shapps says
Palestinians would only be able to flee south within Gaza as Israel has completely sealed off the territory, a narrow strip of land about 25 miles long. Hamas said Israel's heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip killed 13 hostages, including foreigners, held by the group.
The group's military wing said the 13 were killed in various locations over the past 24 hours. It did not give the nationality of the foreigners, and there has been no confirmation over the claims from Israel.
The Israeli military had said it would operate with 'significant force' in Gaza in the coming days and is calling on civilians to evacuate. Spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Israeli forces 'will make extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians'.
He added: "Out of an understanding that there are civilians