Thousands of Gazans flee Gaza after Israel ramped up attacks
Thousands of Palestinians evacuated the northern region of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, bracing for a potential Israeli ground offensive, while Israel intensified its air attacks, concurrently keeping two escape routes open for civilians.
The ongoing conflict stems from Israel's commitment to eradicate the Hamas militant group, which controls Gaza, in retaliation for a shocking incursion by fighters into Israeli territories a week ago. The rampage led to the deaths of around 1,300 people, marking the deadliest attack on Israeli civilians in the nation's history.
Israel subsequently imposed a total siege on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, subjecting it to relentless aerial bombardments. Gaza authorities report over 2,200 casualties, including a substantial number of children, with nearly 10,000 wounded.
Residents of the northern half of Gaza, which includes the major urban center of Gaza City, were instructed to move south by Saturday morning. Israel later declared its commitment to ensuring the safety of Palestinians fleeing the area via two primary routes until 4:00 pm (1300 GMT).
Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus revealed, "Around the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers are preparing for the next stage of operations. They are positioned in the south, center, and north of the Gaza Strip, gearing up for any task they are assigned."
Visuals from Gaza
Hamas has advised civilians not to leave, claiming that the roads designated by Israel are unsafe. They assert that dozens of people were killed on these roads during airstrikes on vehicles carrying refugees on Friday. These claims could not be independently verified. Israel contends that Hamas is preventing people from leaving, using them as human shields, an accusation that Hamas vehemently denies.
In Gaza City's Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood, which is part of the designated evacuation zone, warplanes targeted a residential area during the night, damaging several houses. Frightened residents took refuge at the nearby Quds hospital, intending to join the exodus to the south in the morning.
In Khan Younis, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, Israeli airstrikes struck a four-story building, leading to casualties. Neighbors rushed to rescue those trapped under the rubble.
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