Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israel orders mass evacuation with ground attack looming

JERUSALEM – Palestinians scrambled to flee northern Gaza after Israel’s army ordered about 1 million other folks to depart for the territory’s south forward of an expected ground invasion following the surprise attack per week in the past by means of the ruling Hamas militant team — regardless of warnings from the U.N. that evacuating just about part of Gaza’s inhabitants could be calamitous.

Families in automobiles, vans and donkey carts packed with their possessions crowded a chief street heading southward from Gaza City as Israeli airstrikes persevered to hammer the besieged territory. Hamas’ media place of business stated warplanes struck automobiles fleeing south, killing greater than 70 other folks.

The Israeli army stated its troops carried out brief raids into Gaza to struggle militants and sought for lines of a few 150 people abducted in Hamas’s surprising Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

In urging the evacuation, Israel’s army stated it deliberate to focus on underground Hamas hideouts round Gaza City. But Palestinians and a few Egyptian officers worry that Israel in the long run hopes to push Gaza’s other folks out in the course of the southern border with Egypt.

The U.N. referred to as on Israel to opposite the unparalleled directive.

Hamas informed other folks to forget about the evacuation order. Families in Gaza confronted what they noticed as a no-win determination to depart or keep, with no secure ground anyplace. Israeli moves have leveled whole town blocks, and Gaza has been sealed off from meals, water and clinical provides — all below a digital general energy blackout.

“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” stated Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated Friday that kind of 1,900 other folks had been killed within the territory. The Hamas attack killed more than 1,300 Israelis, maximum of whom had been civilians, and kind of 1,500 Hamas militants had been killed all over the combating, the Israeli executive stated.

ISRAELI TROOPS MAKE FORAY INTO GAZA

Israel’s raids into Gaza Friday was once the primary phrase of troops getting into the territory since Israel started its round the clock bombardment in retaliation for Hamas’ bloodbath of hundreds of civilians in southern Israel.

An army spokesman stated Israeli ground troops left after engaging in the raids. The troop actions didn’t seem to be the start of an anticipated ground invasion.

No determination on a ground offensive has been introduced, even if Israel has been massing troops alongside the Gaza border.

An assault into densely populated and impoverished Gaza would most likely convey even upper casualties on either side in brutal house-to-house combating.

“We will destroy Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Friday evening.

Hamas stated Israel’s airstrikes killed 13 hostages. It stated the lifeless incorporated foreigners however didn’t give their nationalities. Israeli army spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denied the declare.

In Israel, the general public remained in surprise over the Hamas rampage and nervous by means of persistent rocket hearth out of Gaza. Residents are overwhelmingly in desire of an army offensive, and Israeli TV stations have arrange particular announces with slogans like “together we will win” and “strong together.” Their reviews focal point closely at the aftermath of the Hamas attack and tales of heroism and nationwide team spirit, and so they make scant point out of the unfolding disaster in Gaza.

Israeli citizens are in surprise over the Hamas rampage and nervous by means of persistent rocket hearth out of Gaza.

In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported 16 Palestinians had been killed Friday, bringing the overall of Palestinians killed there to 51. The U.N. says assaults by means of Israeli settlers have surged there for the reason that Hamas attack.

ISRAEL URGES MASS EVACUATION OF GAZA CIVILIANS

The U.N. stated the Israeli army’s name for civilians to transport south impacts 1.1 million other folks. If performed, that may imply the territory’s whole inhabitants must cram into the southern part of the 40-kilometer (25-mile) strip.

An Israeli spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, stated the army would take “extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians” and that citizens could be allowed to go back when the conflict is over.

Israel has lengthy accused Hamas of the usage of Palestinians as human shields. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated Israel sought after to split Hamas militants from the civilian inhabitants.

“So those who want to save their life, please go south,” he stated at a news convention Friday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated it could be not possible to level such an evacuation with out “devastating humanitarian consequences.”

PALESTINIANS IN GAZA GRAPPLE WITH WHERE TO GO

Hamas’ media place of business stated airstrikes hit automobiles in 3 places as they headed south from Gaza City, killing 70 other folks. There was once no instant remark from the Israeli army.

Two witnesses reported a strike on fleeing automobiles close to town of Deir el-Balah, south of the evacuation zone and within the space Israel informed other folks to flee to. Fayza Hamoudi stated she and her circle of relatives had been riding from their house within the north when the strike hit a ways forward at the street and two cars burst into flames. A witness from some other automotive at the street gave a an identical account.

“Why should we trust that they’re trying to keep us safe?” Hamoudi stated, her voice choking. “They are sick.”

Many feared they wouldn’t be capable of go back or could be regularly displaced to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

More than part of the Palestinians in Gaza are descendants of refugees from the 1948 conflict surrounding Israel’s introduction, when masses of 1000’s fled or had been expelled from what’s now Israel. For many, the evacuation order dredged up fears of a 2nd expulsion. Already, a minimum of 423,000 other folks — just about 1 in 5 Gazans — had been pressured from their properties by means of Israeli airstrikes, the U.N. stated Thursday.

“Where is the sense of security in Gaza? Is this what Hamas is offering us?” stated one resident, Tarek Mraish, status by means of an road as cars flowed by means of.

The U.N. estimated that tens of 1000’s had fled properties within the north by means of Friday evening.

HOSPITALS STRUGGLE WITH PATIENTS

Gaza’s Health Ministry stated it was once not possible to soundly shipping the wounded from hospitals, that are already suffering with high numbers of dead and injured. “We cannot evacuate hospitals and leave the wounded and sick to die,” spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra stated.

Farsakh, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, stated some medics refused to desert sufferers and as a substitute referred to as colleagues to mention good-bye.

“We have wounded, we have elderly, we have children who are in hospitals,” she stated.

Al Awda Hospital struggled to evacuate dozens of sufferers and team of workers after the army contacted it and informed it to take action by means of Friday evening, stated the help team Doctors Without Borders, which helps the power. The army prolonged the cut-off date to Saturday morning, it stated.

The U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, referred to as UNRWA, stated it could no longer evacuate its colleges, the place masses of 1000’s have taken refuge. But it relocated its headquarters to southern Gaza, consistent with spokesperson Juliette Touma.

“The scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis is bone-chilling. Gaza is fast becoming a hellhole and is on the brink of collapse,” stated Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s commissioner common.

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Shurafa reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip, and Lederer from Chicago. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, Samya Kullab in Baghdad, Samy Magdy in Cairo, and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this record.