Several residents of the Gaza Strip are leaving their homes after Israel’s 24-hour ultimatum to relocate south before a potential ground invasion that could result in high casualties. Videos show civilians in cars with clothes and mattresses tied to their roofs evacuating from the land they have called home for years. According to a reporter on Palestinian Affairs, the visuals are from North Gaza. Israel has mobilized 300,000 reservists and gathered tanks in response to a devastating attack by Hamas. The military has urged Gaza City civilians to evacuate south for their safety, accusing Hamas of using them as human shields. The United Nations has warned that the evacuation could have devastating humanitarian consequences, but Israel argues that Hamas should be condemned and its right to self-defense supported. The World Health Organization is concerned about the order, stating that it would be impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from northern Gaza. Much of Gaza city’s population is descended from refugees who fled or were expelled from their homes in Israel in 1948. Talks to create a Palestinian state collapsed years ago, and Israel’s right-wing government has tightened its control in the West Bank, leaving the population with little hope and strengthening extremist groups. The recent Hamas attack killed over 1,300 Israelis, while retaliatory attacks have claimed the lives of more than 1,500 Palestinians.
Thu. Mar 27th, 2025
