The Israeli army asked residents of Gaza City today, Friday, to evacuate their homes and head south, stating that it will "continue operations significantly" in the city, which it described as "an area undergoing military operations." The army also warned Gaza residents against approaching areas near the fence with Israel, adding that residents would not be able to return until an announcement is made permitting them to do so.
The United Nations stated earlier today that the Israeli army informed them that approximately 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza must move to the southern part of the territory within the next 24 hours. UN spokesman Stefan Dujarric stated in a statement: "The UN sees it as impossible to implement such an order without devastating humanitarian consequences." He urged the cancellation of any such orders, should they be confirmed, to avoid what is already a tragedy from turning into a catastrophic situation. Dujarric noted that the order issued by the Israeli army also applies to all UN staff and those residing in UN facilities, including schools and health centers.
The UN Rights Office urged all nations, especially those with international influence, to insist on full respect for international law in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, called for a global appeal from every member state of the international community, especially those with influence, to insist on full compliance with international humanitarian law.
The White House spokesperson for National Security, John Kirby, stated today that "Israel's call for the movement of more than a million civilians in northern Gaza within 24 hours will be a difficult task." He added in an interview with MSNBC: "This means moving a large number of individuals in a very short time frame." He acknowledged understanding what Israel is trying to achieve and why, describing it as an attempt to isolate civilians from Hamas, which is their real target. A senior official in the U.S. State Department indicated that Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the establishment of safe zones in Gaza that civilians could move to. The official stated: "One of the things we discussed with them yesterday was the need to protect civilian lives in Gaza and the necessity to establish safe areas for civilians to be safe from legitimate Israeli security operations."
European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, remarked today that Israel's call is "unrealistic." Speaking at a press conference in Beijing after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Borrell said: "Certainly, civilians should be warned about upcoming military operations, but it is entirely unrealistic that a million people could move within 24 hours."
In this context, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced it had relocated its central operations center and international staff to southern Gaza to continue its humanitarian operations and support for its staff and Palestinian refugees. The agency urged Israeli authorities to protect all civilians in UNRWA shelters, including schools.
UNRWA highlighted that Israel's call to transfer over a million civilians from northern Gaza within 24 hours is "horrendous," asserting that the region is rapidly turning into a "hellhole."
China condemned all actions harming civilians and opposed any violations of international law. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need for the United Nations to play its role in resolving the Palestinian issue and urged the Security Council to take more responsibility. He added that "the root cause of the problem lies in the prolonged delay in realizing Palestine's aspirations for statehood and the failure to address the historical injustices faced by Palestinians." Wang noted that China is in contact with relevant parties and will actively participate in emergency consultations at the Security Council, providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the Palestinian Authority through United Nations channels.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated today that she is in talks with Egypt and the United Nations regarding providing safe spaces for civilians in Gaza, who have been asked to move south in anticipation of a ground attack. Speaking in the city of Netivot in southern Israel after discussions with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, Baerbock mentioned that "the capabilities in southern Gaza are already overstretched. We are discussing this with the United Nations, Egypt, and various actors."
Turkey condemned Israel's demand for Gaza residents to move south within 24 hours before a planned ground operation as "completely unacceptable" and in violation of international law. The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that “forcing Gaza's 2.5 million residents, who have been subjected to indiscriminate bombardment for days and are deprived of electricity, water, and food supplies, to displace themselves in a very limited area is a clear violation of international law and has nothing to do with humanity." It added in a statement: "We expect Israel to immediately retract this grave error and urgently cease its brutal actions against civilians in Gaza."
