Fears over the security of Palestinian civilians are rising as Israel suggests its bombardment of Gaza will shift to southern areas, having destroyed swathes of the north.
Leaflets have been dropped by the Israeli military in some areas of the south, close to Khan Younis, warning residents to depart as Israel declared the “subsequent stage” of their offensive has begun.
A whole bunch of hundreds of Palestinians are reportedly already displaced in southern components since Israel’s marketing campaign centered largely within the north, which got here after related leafleting.
Israel-Gaza latest: Satellite images show huge crowds trying to flee to southern Gaza
Sky Information has obtained a picture of one of many flyers, which tells locals they “should evacuate” and “go to identified shelters” – however it doesn’t specify any shelters or counsel a protected space.
Challenged by Sky Information on the place the individuals of Khan Younis ought to go, Mark Regev, an adviser to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, mentioned Gazans will “know precisely what to do”.
“I believe the individuals of Gaza who will learn these leaflets know precisely what to do,” he mentioned. “And the identical cynicism was expressed once we leafleted the north.
“And but, the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants heeded our recommendation and did depart areas of fight and did transfer south, and due to this fact have been saved from being caught within the crossfire between Israel and Hamas.
“And I imagine you may see the identical factor now.”
In different developments:
• UN support deliveries to Gaza have been suspended on Friday attributable to shortages of gas and a communications shut down;
• The UN’s World Meals Programme mentioned civilians confronted the “fast chance of hunger” because of the lack of provides;
• Gaza’s Hamas-run well being ministry says greater than 12,000 individuals are confirmed {dead}, with 5,000 of them youngsters and plenty of others trapped below rubble;
• Israel says its army has discovered the our bodies of two hostages in Gaza in as many days
Mr Regev added there are areas to the west of Khan Younis the place Israeli forces should not anticipating heavy preventing, however he admitted it’s “not an ideal resolution”.
Israel would do its “utmost to guard the civilian inhabitants”, he mentioned, although Mr Netanyahu admitted on Thursday the nation’s makes an attempt to minimise civilians casualties have been “not profitable”.
Actions in direction of the south have reportedly been disrupted by ongoing assaults, with bombing additionally reported in southern areas.
Satellite tv for pc photos present a mass of individuals, seemingly shifting south, showing to be obstructed.
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People waiting for evacuation. Pic: Maxar Technologies
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A crowd of people appears to be blocked in a road. Pic: Maxar Technologies
While southern parts of the Gaza Strip brace for a new wave of attacks in the coming days, Israel’s focus this week has largely been on al Shifa hospital, which is the territory’s largest.
Human Rights Watch warned hospitals have special protections under the laws of war and only lose that status “if it can be shown that harmful acts have been carried out from the premises”.
Israel has long maintained the hospital sits above a vast underground bunker housing a Hamas command headquarters, an assertion backed by the US.
After two days of searching the premises – which were raided earlier this week – Israeli forces said they found a vehicle with weapons, and a tunnel shaft.
Read more:
Israel now occupies Gaza having completely destroyed it – so what does it do now?
Inside Gaza’s ‘humanitarian corridors’: Sky News witnesses hundreds moving south
A view of what the Israel Defence Forces claims shows an entrance to a tunnel in al Shifa hospital complex. Pic: IDF
Hospital staff have denied Hamas has a command centre under the hospital, and so far no conclusive evidence has been offered by Israel.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry claimed on Thursday 26 out of 35 hospitals in the territory are no longer running, while the remaining nine are only partly functioning.
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Israel has repeatedly been warned by allies to ensure the safety of civilians, while aid agencies have criticised the country’s humanitarian response.
Hamas claims more than 12,000 people have been killed since the attack on Gaza began, while Israel says 1,200 were killed when the militants attacked the south of the country on 7 October.
Israel also says Hamas took 242 captives back to Gaza as hostages – with its military announcing two bodies have been found in the past two days.