UN says north Gaza evacuation 'impossible' as Israel military tells 1.1 million people to relocate

(CN) — Israel’s military on Friday ordered the approximately 1.1 million people living in north Gaza to evacuate within 24 hours, prompting a mass exodus toward southern Gaza, as fighting escalates following Hamas’ attack on Israel last weekend.

The United Nations called on Israel to rescind the order, calling the demand “impossible.”

“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary General António Guterres, said in a statement.

“The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”

The Israel Defense Forces dropped thousands of leaflets into Gaza on Friday telling residents to evacuate the area.

“Don’t return to your homes until further notice from the Israel Defense Forces. Leave all public and known shelters in the city of Gaza. Do not approach from the security wall, and whoever does so, is risking their lives,” the leaflets said.

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said over 423,000 people have already been displaced. Of that group, 270,000 have taken refuge in the agency’s shelters, where they’re provided with basic food, medicine and support.

“The scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis is bone-chilling. Gaza is fast becoming a hell hole and is on the brink of collapse,” Lazzarini said.

This comes ahead of Israel’s planned ground invasion against the Hamas militant group, sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel last weekend. On Saturday, Hamas militants stormed the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns and killed and abducted dozens of people.

Gaza authorities have said there is nowhere safe to go while the area is being pounded by Israeli strikes, and health officials said it would be impossible to evacuate hospitals that are already struggling to keep up with high numbers of dead and wounded people, facing power shortages and dwindling supplies.

Israel promised a “total siege” on Gaza in response to the shocking and brutal attacks by Hamas, including cutting off the supply of food, water and power.

The World Health Organization joined calls to rescind Israeli forces’ evacuation order, which spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic called a “death sentence” for many.

In the Gaza Strip, WHO said, hospitals are running on backup generators with fuel likely to run out in the coming days and have exhausted the supplies provided by the WHO before escalation.

“The live-saving health response is now dependent on getting new supplies and fuel to health care facilities as fast as possible,” WHO said in a press release.

Humanitarian agencies have continued to face extreme constraints in providing assistance.

“The insecurity is preventing safe access to impacted areas and warehouses,” Dujarric said. “Despite the challenging conditions, humanitarian workers have provided some assistance, including the distribution of fresh bread to 137,000 displaced people, the delivery of 70,000 liters of fuel to water and sanitation facilities, and the activation of psychosocial support helplines.”

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