The fighting between Israel and Hamas entered a seventh day on Friday with fears of a ground offensive growing stronger following an Israeli order to evacuate the northern region of the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s military told the United Nations late Thursday that all of northern Gaza’s population needs to evacuate to the southern portion of the enclave, a U.N. spokesman said. The Israeli order gave 24 hours for more than 1 million people, nearly half of Gaza’s population, to evacuate. The Israeli order applied to all U.N. staff and those sheltered in U.N. facilities — including schools, health centers and clinics.
Within hours of the order, Israel faced opposition, both from Hamas and on the international stage. “The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” the U.N. said.
Human Rights Watch said the roads are rubble, fuel is scarce, and the main hospital is in the evacuation zone, making it difficult for people to leave and head south.
Read more at NPR.org
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