Israel's military has issued a warning to 1.1 million residents in northern Gaza, urging them to evacuate their homes. This comes as Israel prepares to intensify its retaliatory offensive against Hamas after the group's terror attacks on October 7. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has urged civilians in Gaza City to move south to ensure their safety and the safety of their families, while also distancing themselves from Hamas terrorists who are using them as human shields.
"In the coming days, the IDF will maintain a substantial presence in Gaza City and put forth extensive measures to minimize harm to civilian individuals."
The UN announced on Thursday that their liaison officers in the Israeli military conveyed the message that "all residents in Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should move to the southern areas of Gaza within the next 24 hours."
The UN has condemned the order, claiming that the evacuation of civilians is impractical.
"The United Nations believes that this action would lead to severe humanitarian consequences," stated Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General.
Dujarric urged for the immediate revocation of the order, if proven to be true, in order to prevent the exacerbation of an already devastating situation. All UN personnel and individuals seeking refuge in UN establishments, such as educational institutions, medical facilities, and clinics, are affected by this directive, as stated in the official declaration.
Gaza City, located within Gaza, stands as one of the most densely populated areas worldwide, accommodating more than 2 million individuals within the confines of just 140 square miles. To compound its overcrowding, the borders of Gaza have been subjected to years of blockade by Israel and Egypt. Situated along the coastal strip, Gaza City contends with particularly high population density.
A man reacts outside a burning collapsed building following Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on October 11.
Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images
Israel's intentions regarding a possible ground invasion into Gaza remain undefined. Nevertheless, there has been a significant buildup of troops, reservists, and military assets at the border. Moreover, Israel continues to intensify its siege and aerial attacks on the enclave. With increasing urgency, there are demands for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in Gaza to ensure the delivery of essential provisions like water, food, fuel, and medicine. This need arises from UN experts' concerns over the imminent threat of starvation faced by the residents.
Last weekend, the international community was horrified by the abhorrent actions carried out by Hamas in Israel. These atrocities have further intensified the long-standing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. In a well-coordinated assault, Hamas militants managed to breach the heavily fortified border, resulting in the senseless loss of lives of both men, women, and children. Additionally, they took around 150 individuals captive and brought them back to Gaza. The devastating consequences of this act included over 1,300 fatalities and thousands more sustaining injuries in Israel.
Israel's response has been quick and unrelenting. Over the span of six days, Israeli warplanes have repeatedly bombarded Gaza, resulting in the destruction of streets and homes, along with the loss of over 1,500 lives, including 500 innocent children. Additionally, 6,000 individuals have been wounded, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Time running out for Gazans
The vital provisions of electricity, food, water, and fuel have been curtailed to Gaza due to the Israeli blockade, raising concerns among medical and relief personnel about the imminent threat of a humanitarian crisis for the two million civilians confined within the region.
According to the UN Relief and Works Agency, over 432,000 Palestinians have been displaced as a result of the conflict, and at least 88 educational facilities have been targeted by airstrikes. The World Health Organization warns that the health systems in Gaza are on the verge of collapse, with critical functions relying on generators that will soon run out of fuel. This will have devastating consequences for patients in need of lifesaving surgery, those in intensive care units, and newborns relying on care in incubators.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) international president Christos Christou emphasized the dire situation faced by millions of civilians in Gaza, describing it as a form of "collective punishment." He stressed the urgent need to establish safe spaces to ensure the protection and well-being of these vulnerable individuals.
Smoke billows during an Israeli air strike in Rafah insouthern Gaza on October 12.
Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images
Relief organizations are facing difficulties in delivering assistance to the isolated enclave, and are urgently urging the establishment of an emergency corridor to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian supplies.
The United Nations has issued a warning stating that it is against international law to target innocent civilians and to withhold essential supplies.
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt expressed her strong disapproval of the obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza, stating that such actions by Israel are deemed "unacceptable." She further emphasized that Israel is duty-bound to permit the arrival of humanitarian assistance.
What remains of Maisara Baroud's building after Israeli airstrikes turned it to rubble.
Courtesy Marisara Baroud
Palestinians in Gaza have no safe refuge from the airstrikes conducted by Israel. The Biden administration is currently engaged in intensive efforts, in collaboration with Israel and Egypt, to establish secure pathways for civilians to leave Gaza in anticipation of a potential ground invasion. This statement was made by John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, on Thursday.
Israel has maintained a steadfast stance in its response.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Force (IDF), Israel is engaged in a conflict with Hamas and will prevent any items from entering the Gaza strip that bolster Hamas' combat capabilities. Even if this results in inconvenience for the population, Israel remains resolute.
Israel's energy minister, Israel Katz, declared on Thursday that the supply of electricity, water, and fuel to Gaza will continue to be withheld until Hamas releases all Israeli hostages. Katz emphasized that no amenities will resume until the abducted Israelis are safely returned home, stating that this is a matter of principle and self-defense, not subject to moral scrutiny.
Holding captive approximately 150 individuals in various locations throughout Gaza, Hamas militants issued a warning earlier this week, threatening to execute the hostages unless Israel halted its bombardment of the region.
A Palestinian youth carries bread amid the rubble of the city center of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip following Israeli shelling on October 10.
Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images
Israel on a war footing
Outside the blockaded enclave, signs of a warlike situation were evident as a vast array of Israeli troops, armored vehicles, trucks loaded with ammunition, and other military equipment were being readied for the upcoming stage of Israel's retaliation against the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas.
Israeli ground offensives in 2008 and 2014 inflicted heavy casualties on Israeli soldiers. However, a significant distinction in this recent offensive is the large number of hostages captured by Hamas fighters.
A still from a video shows Hamas militants at a training camp near the Gaza-Israel border.
Hamas
Hamas militants received training for their deadly attack in a highly visible location, less than a mile away from Israel's heavily fortified border. Additionally, the Saturday attack showcased a previously unseen level of military prowess and brutality by Hamas.
According to CNN's analysis of videos released by Hamas and its associates, it has been discovered that militants underwent extensive training over several months at multiple locations in Gaza.
One video from 2022 depicts Hamas fighters training in a designated area, engaging in rocket launches, and simulating the capture of prisoners while surrounding imitation Israeli structures. Additionally, another video, dated over a year ago, showcases Hamas fighters practicing the use of paragliders for take-offs, landings, and assaults. Notably, this unconventional method of attack was later employed by Hamas with deadly consequences during the incident on October 7.
An IDF Artillery solider covers his ears as a shell is fired toward Gaza on October 11, near Netivot, Israel.
Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Fresh evidence of Hamass brutality
Photos released by the Israeli Prime Minister's office vividly demonstrate the unimaginable brutality of the attacks, depicting the lifeless bodies of two babies burned beyond identification and a third infant covered in bloodstains.
During his visit to Jerusalem on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was presented with distressing images that left him struggling to comprehend the horrific scenes. At a press conference in Israel, Blinken described the unimaginable acts of violence that included the brutal killing of a baby, the beheading of soldiers, and the barbaric burning of young individuals inside their vehicles or hiding places. These shocking accounts surpass the limits of anyone's imagination and are deeply disturbing to witness or, heaven forbid, endure.
Hamas on Thursday "firmly" denied its involvement in killing and beheading babies, saying the allegations were "unethically and unprofessionally" adopted by media outlets.
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Video shows people trying to save themselves inside of bomb shelter in Israel during the Hamas attack
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Basim Naim, an official from Hamas information office, conveyed in a video statement that the top commanders of Al Qassam Brigades had given explicit instructions to refrain from targeting or harming civilians.
Multiple survivors and eyewitnesses have provided detailed testimonies, contradicting the aforementioned claims, regarding the magnitude and brutality of the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas. The IDF, speaking to CNN, reported a "massacre" in Kfar Aza, a southern Israeli kibbutz, where militants mercilessly slaughtered women, children, toddlers, and elderly individuals in a manner resembling the actions of ISIS.
In Beeri, the kibbutz was forcefully infiltrated by Hamas militants. Tragically, over 120 individuals, including children, were brutally killed, and some were taken hostage. CNN's dedicated team of reporters, including Abeer Salman, Lucas Lilieholm, Nada Bashir, Kareem El Damanhoury, Caitlin Danaher, DJ Judd, Josh Campbell, Larry Register, Jonny Hallam, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Paul P. Murphy, Tara John, Brent Swails, Oren Liebermann, Mitchell McCluskey, and James Frater, diligently provided ongoing coverage of the incident.