Hundreds of Palestinians are streaming onto Gaza’s solely freeway as they attempt to flee the fight zone within the north, after Israel introduced a window for protected passage.
It comes as Israeli forces struck close to a number of hospitals in Gaza Metropolis because the navy pushes additional into dense city neighbourhoods.
Mother and father carried youngsters of their arms whereas others introduced what possessions they may in animal-drawn carts in a line stretching so far as the attention may see.
Observe stay: IDF ‘kills 30 Hamas fighters’
The accelerating exodus to the south got here as Israel agreed to start out implementing a four-hour humanitarian pause every day and to open a second route for folks to flee the north, the White Home stated.
These fleeing to the south face the prospect of ongoing airstrikes there, and dire humanitarian circumstances.
Increasingly folks have been residing in and round Shifa Hospital – the most important hospital in Gaza – within the hope that it is going to be safer than their properties or United Nations shelters within the north, a number of of which have been hit repeatedly.
Early on Friday, Israel struck the hospital’s courtyard and obstetrics division, based on the top of the Hamas-run media workplace in Gaza, Salama Maarouf.
The Well being Ministry in Gaza later stated one particular person had been killed at Shifa Hospital and several other others wounded.
Israel has accused Hamas fighters of hiding in hospitals and utilizing the Shifa Hospital advanced as its important command centre, which the militant group and hospital workers deny, saying Israel is making a pretext to strike it.
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Hamas fighter: ‘That is our land’
Greater than 10,800 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that hostilities started, based on the Gaza well being ministry.
Greater than 1,400 folks have been killed in Israel, primarily within the preliminary Hamas assault, and greater than 30 Israeli troopers have been killed in Gaza for the reason that floor offensive started.
Israel’s navy stated it killed 19 Hamas militants in a single day – together with an organization commander and a platoon commander who have been concerned within the 7 October assault – and likewise destroyed a transport container that held some 20 rocket launchers.
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Biden: ‘No chance’ of ceasefire in Gaza
In the meantime, the top of the UN Palestinian refugee company (UNRWA) stated on Friday that greater than 100 UN staff had been killed for the reason that begin of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“UNRWA is mourning, Palestinians mourning, Israelis mourning,” Philippe Lazzarini stated, reiterating a name for a humanitarian ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, talking on a go to to India, stated that “far too many” Palestinians have died and suffered as Israel wages battle on Hamas.
He urged Israel to minimise hurt to civilians and maximise humanitarian help that reaches them.