Israel’s Gaza ground offensive today? UN says military warns 10.1 lakh residents to relocate

The Israeli military on Friday asked the United Nations that the 10.1 lakh Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave’s south within the next 24 hours, a UN spokesman said, in what Palestinians fear could be a precursor to a planned Israeli ground offensive, news agency Reuters reported.

Israeli soldiers patrol at the place where 270 revellers were gunned down or burnt in their cars by Hamas gunmen near kibbutz Beeri during at the Supernova music festival in the Negev desert. (AFP)
Israeli soldiers patrol at the place where 270 revellers were gunned down or burnt in their cars by Hamas gunmen near kibbutz Beeri during at the Supernova music festival in the Negev desert. (AFP)

The Israeli military also applied to all UN staff and those sheltered in UN facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

The Israeli military did not immediately provide comment on the warning, which came as Israel amassed tanks near the Gaza border and pounded the Palestinian enclave with air strikes following a deadly Hamas militant attack in Israel.

“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric 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“The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation,” he said.

The weekend rampage by Hama militants killed 1,300 people and was the worst attack on civilians in Israel’s history.

Israel has responded so far by putting Gaza, home to 20.3 lakh people, under siege and launching a bombing campaign that destroyed whole neighbourhoods. Gaza authorities said more than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed.