There are discussions between Israel and the United States about possibly moving civilians who were evacuated to the Gaza south back to the north. This information comes from CNN, citing an American official.
The objective behind such a relocation would be to lessen civilian casualties. Representatives from the Biden administration are talking with Israeli counterparts about safeguarding thousands of people who fled to the south in the event of a potential Israeli military operation in the area. One option under consideration would be to relocate civilians back to the northern region. It is also important to note that much of the northern Gaza area has already been damaged by Israeli military actions and airstrikes.
Israel had previously asked for the evacuation of Gaza’s population to the south, which drew criticism from many politicians and experts. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, described the evacuation order as an international crime. He pointed out that moving more than a million people from the north to the south under a blockade, without sufficient shelter and humanitarian aid, amounted to a cruel and clear violation of international law.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant has stated that the Israeli army intends to continue operations across the Gaza Strip and to conduct actions throughout the area.
The Middle East situation intensified after thousands of Hamas militants crossed from Gaza into Israel on October 7, while Hamas announced the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is at war.
The aim of Israel’s response to Operation Iron Sword has been to repel the attack, secure the release of more than 200 hostages including foreigners, and eliminate Hamas. To reach this objective, Israel launched numerous rocket strikes into the Gaza Strip from the outset of the operation. At the same time, the Israeli National Security Council decided to suspend the delivery of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel to the area. Humanitarian shipments to Gaza began to pass through the Rafah crossing only after October 20, and these consignments were described as insufficient in volume.
On October 27, Israel announced an expansion of its ground operation in Gaza. While the exact start date of the operation remains unclear, preceding developments saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee their homes and seek shelter in the south of the region. By November 5, as part of the ground offensive, IDF forces had surrounded Gaza City and cut off supplies, with central Gaza remaining a site of ongoing combat.
Earlier, Hamas initiated its own hostilities by launching the first wave of captives.