Israel plans to evacuate Gaza residents before new attack - Reuters
Israel prepares to evacuate Gaza residents ahead of a new offensive (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The Israeli army is preparing to relocate civilians from the northern areas of Gaza City to the southern part of the enclave ahead of a new offensive, reports Reuters.
Starting August 17, Gaza residents will be provided with tents and other equipment to set up temporary shelters before being moved out of conflict zones.
The tent equipment and supplies for shelters will be delivered via the Kerem Shalom crossing, with transportation managed by the UN and other international humanitarian organizations after approval from the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that civilians will be evacuated to so-called safe zones before the offensive, describing Gaza City as the last stronghold of Hamas. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Israel Katz noted that the details of the upcoming operation are still being finalized.
A UN spokesperson for humanitarian coordination expressed concern, emphasizing that moving people southward in Gaza will only exacerbate their suffering. At the same time, the UN welcomed Israel’s acknowledgment of the urgent need for housing and the renewed allowance for tents and other equipment to enter Gaza. "The UN and its partners will seize the opportunity this opens," the spokesperson said.
Palestinian officials and UN representatives stress that there are no truly safe areas in Gaza, even in the southern parts of the enclave where Israel plans to relocate civilians.
The Islamic Jihad group, aligned with Hamas, condemned Israel’s actions as part of a brutal campaign of Gaza occupation and a gross violation of international conventions.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has intensified operations around Gaza City, particularly in the Zeitoun and Shejaia neighborhoods, conducting airstrikes and tank shelling. On Friday, forces launched a new operation in Zeitoun aimed at detecting explosives, destroying tunnels, and neutralizing militants.
Recognition of the Palestinian state
At the end of July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to recognize the independence of the Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly’s autumn session in September. In response, Israel and the US sharply criticized Paris’s plans.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also not ruled out recognizing Palestine.
Australia also plans to recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly’s autumn session.
For more details on the controversial plans of several Western countries to recognize Palestine, see the analytical report by RBC-Ukraine.
Israel recently approved a military plan to capture Gaza City. According to Netanyahu, the goal is not occupation but to liberate the city from the Hamas organization.
