Israel has warned 1.1 million Gaza Strip residents to relocate within 24 hours, ahead of an expected ground assault to root out Hamas terrorists in the densely populated Palestinian enclave.
Hamas officials are advising Palestinians to defy the sweeping evacuation order.
U.N. officials are saying a mass evacuation is “impossible” and urging Israel to reconsider.
The Washington Post reports on the deteriorating situation:
Israel has indicated that it is readying a ground invasion of the besieged enclave, a move aimed at ending the rule of Hamas, the militant group that controls the area and which launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday, killing more than 1,300 civilians and soldiers, and trucking scores of hostages into Gaza.
But, with exits to Israel and Egypt shut, the retaliatory military operations have effectively turned the narrow 25-mile long Gaza Strip into a kill box. More than 1,500 people have already died in the bombing campaign, a third of them children, and another 6,600 are wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
“In the following days, the IDF will continue to operate significantly in Gaza City,” the Israel Defense Forces said, adding that Hamas militants were hiding in tunnels beneath civilian homes and in heavily populated areas. “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.”
Hamas dismissed the warnings and told citizens to stay. “Our Palestinian people reject the threat made by the leaders of the occupation and its call for Gazans to leave their houses and leave to the south or to Egypt,” the group said, describing the evacuation order as “psychological war.”
Hamas continues to relentlessly fire rocket salvos into Israel.
The deadly game of chicken comes hours after Israeli missiles damaged runways at Syria's two largest airports. Israel has not commented on the strike. It has previously targeted sites in Syria associated with the Iranian government.
The attack forced Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian – who allegedly attended meetings leading up to Hamas' attack on Israel – to land in Beirut instead of Damascus.
At a press conference, Amir-Abdollahian heavily implied additional attacks against Israel couldn't be ruled out.
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Hamas are cowards – always have been – they did this before by hiding in homes and schools and hospitals. I remember they walked over roof tops & w/shoot then drop between and hide in the homes or schools. No honor in terrorists.
There’s nothing to reconsider, Israel needs to tell them if you stay you might be hurt or killed in the fighting. The choice is theirs.
Of course globalist puppet, god worshiping, hamas terrorists want the citizens to remain there so that Israel needs to waste time and soldiers trying to identify if the people they confront are citizens or globalist puppet, god worshiping, hamas terrorists, it gives the globalist puppet, god worshiping, hamas terrorists more time to kill the Israel army . . . . .