The United States insisted to Israel this past week that it make clear plans to limit civilian casualties in its southern offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government did not give clear assurances on this, a senior U.S. official said on Friday as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a trip to the region.
A senior adviser to Netanyahu told journalists on Saturday that Israel had informed humanitarian groups of the “safer areas”. Mark Regev said Israel had not asked the entire population of southern Gaza to leave. “But those neighbourhoods, those specific areas where we know there is going to be heavy combat, we’ve asked people there to relocate.”
‘NIGHT OF HORROR’
Nasrallah said he and his family would stay put because they had already lost everything.
“There is nothing left to fear. Our homes are gone, our property is gone, our money is gone, our sons have been killed, some are handicapped. What is left to cry for?”
A mother of four, who gave her name as Samira, said she had fled south from Gaza City with her children after Israel began bombing there last month. They now shelter with friends in a home west of Khan Younis.
She said Friday night had been one of the most terrifying since she arrived: “A night of horror.”
She and other residents said they feared the intensity of the bombing in Khan Younis and the nearby city of Deir al-Balah meant Israel’s ground invasion of the south was imminent.
Another man, who gave his name as Yamen, said he and his wife and six children had fled the north weeks ago and were sleeping in a school.
“Where to after Deir al Abalah, after Khan Younis?” he said. “I don’t know where to take my family.”
The UN estimates that up to 1.8 million people in the Gaza Strip, or nearly 80% of the population, have been forced to flee during Israel’s devastating bombing campaign.
Israel has sworn to annihilate Gaza-based Hamas in response to the Oct 7 attack.
Source: CNA
