The Israeli military urged all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and head south Wednesday, pressing ahead with a fresh offensive across the north, south and center of the embattled territory that has killed dozens of people over the past 48 hours.
The United Nations has reacted with significant alarm. Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN, termed the recent days’ violence and destruction in Gaza as “shocking.” Expressing his concerns, Dujarric mentioned on Wednesday: “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned that Israel’s order for people to leave Gaza will only add to the suffering of Palestinian families. Many of these families have already been displaced multiple times. These civilians must be protected, and their essential needs must be met.”
This marks the second such evacuation directive for Gaza’s main city amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Doha. Since these discussions commenced on Wednesday, stakeholders hope for a resolution that could alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis.
John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, conveyed a cautiously optimistic stance regarding the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas during an interview with a news network on Wednesday. “We are cautiously optimistic that things are heading in a positive direction. There are still gaps between the two sides. We believe these gaps can be reduced,” Kirby stated.
In nine months of bombardment and offensives in Gaza, Israel has killed more than 38,200 people and wounded more than 88,000, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Nearly the entire population has been driven from their homes, and many have been displaced multiple times.
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