The Israeli military on Friday issued a warning that all civilians in Gaza City evacuate “southwards.”
“Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families, and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields,” an Israel Defense Forces International Spokesman said. “We have never ever in our history been forced to deal with such a situation.”
Leaflets were also dropped into Gaza City by the Israeli military, warning residents to head south.
Israeli airstrikes of targets in northern and eastern Gaza continued through Thursday night, and a ground invasion of northern Gaza appears imminent, according to some sources.
Hamas responded by telling Gaza residents to ignore the warning, calling it “false propaganda.”
The United Nations released a statement in response to the evacuation order, claiming it could result in a major humanitarian crisis.
“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” it said in a statement. “The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”
The evacuation order affects approximately 1.1 million people.
On Oct. 7, as missiles were fired from Gaza into Israel, armed fighters entered Israel and killed hundreds of civilians. NPR reports that Hamas killed more than 1,000 people during the attacks and seized at least 100 hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct. 8 declared his country to be at war with Hamas.
“We are at war. Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war,” Netanyahu said. “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.”
