The Israeli military has warned that it will operate with “unprecedented force” in Gaza City, urging residents to flee southwards.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 19, on X, the military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, announced the closure of a temporary evacuation route that had been opened 48 hours earlier.
“To the residents of Gaza City, from this moment, Salah al-Din Road is closed for southward movement,” the statement read in part.
“The Israel Defense Forces will continue to operate with unprecedented and extreme force against Hamas and other terrorist organizations. From this moment, southward movement is possible only via Al-Rashid Street.”
Israel Army Warns of Heavy Force in Gaza City, Tells Residents to Flee South
Adraee urged residents to move south to the designated humanitarian zone, noting that hundreds of thousands had already relocated. He also warned against allowing Hamas to exploit civilians as human shields.
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On Wednesday, Israel announced a “temporary” new route for residents to flee Gaza City, following an intense ground offensive and heavy bombardment of the Palestinian territory’s main city after nearly two years of devastating war.
The military said the transportation route via Salah al-Din Street would remain open for just 48 hours from midday (12:00 PM EAT). Salah al-Din Street is the main north-south road through the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s bid to capture Gaza City has sparked international outrage, with the territory already devastated by nearly two years of conflict and gripped by a United Nations-declared famine.
The tensions come ahead of a planned move by several Western countries, including France and Britain, to recognize a Palestinian state next week at a UN summit.
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US Blocks UN Ceasefire as Israel Continues Attacks on Gaza
Meanwhile, the United States vetoed a crucial UN Security Council resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza, which had been approved by 14 of the 15 member states.
The US-backed offensive on Gaza City began on Tuesday, coinciding with a United Nations probe accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials had incited the crime.
Israel rejected the findings, describing them as “distorted and false.”
The United Nations estimated at the end of August that about one million people were living in Gaza City and its surrounding areas. Israel says hundreds of thousands have already fled the Gaza Strip’s largest city.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 65,141 people and wounded 165,925, with thousands more believed to be buried under rubble.
In Israel, a total of 1,139 people were killed during the October 7 attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.
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