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Israel Gives Few More Hours To Gazans To Evacuate Ahead Of `Air, Sea And Land` Attack
The IDF has claimed that Hamas has built tunnels in residential areas of Gaza to use civilians as human shields.
After the deadline set by Israel for civilians in Gaza ended yesterday, the Israeli Defence Forces today gave another three hours to Gazans to leave. The IDF said that it won't carry out the attack between 10 am and 1 pm local time. Israeli military spokesman Richard Hecht said that they are preparing to attack Gaza by air, sea and land. The IDF has also accused Hamas of stopping people from evacuating the region. It also shared photos of Hamas vehicles blocking the road towards Wadi Gaza.
The IDF has claimed that Hamas has built tunnels in residential areas of Gaza to use civilians as human shields. Israel has already deployed around 10,000 soldiers and hundreds of tanks at the Gaza border as the Israeli Air Force continues to pound Hamas sites in Gaza. The IDF also claimed to have eliminated another top Hamas terrorist Bilal al Qadr.
On the other hand, the United States has deployed its second naval warship in the Mediterranean Sea to deter Iran from taking any provoking step against Israel. The White House today said in a statement that President Joe Biden has reiterated Washington's unwavering support for Israel and emphasised the need for humanitarian aid for the people of Palestine as he held separate phone calls with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
In both calls, Biden stressed the need to prevent the conflict from expanding. He spoke to both leaders about coordination with the United Nations, Egypt, Jordan and other countries in the region to ensure access to water, food and medical care for all civilians.
The previous week saw a surge of air strikes by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Southern Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted multiple counterattacks, specifically targeting vital Hamas infrastructure. This recent escalation marks the most significant confrontation in decades between the two entities, resulting in a substantial loss of lives on both sides.
As reported by the Gaza Health Ministry, the toll on the Palestinian side has been devastating, with 2,329 lives lost since October 8. Conversely, in the initial extensive assault and subsequent rocket attacks from Gaza, more than 1,300 Israelis, primarily civilians, have lost their lives. The conflict erupted a week ago when Hamas militants launched a shocking and sudden attack in southern Israel.