Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza Evacuation Convoys, Killing Children
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Multiple casualties, primarily women and children, have been reported in Israeli airstrikes targeting evacuation convoys escaping Gaza City, as stated by Hamas officials.
The Israeli regime's military has not yet responded to these allegations, despite issuing orders for over 1 million people to evacuate the northern part of the enclave.
The UN humanitarian body, OCHA, confirmed that "vehicles of those evacuating the north were hit, killing more than 40 people and injuring 150 others," according to data provided by health officials in the Palestinian enclave. The UN agency noted that these incidents led to many individuals abandoning their evacuation efforts, as Israeli bombardments continued relentlessly from the air, sea, and land.
Hamas' media office reported that airstrikes struck civilian vehicles in three separate locations, resulting in an alleged 70 casualties. The Palestinian Health Ministry disclosed that Al-Shifa Medical Complex was treating "dozens of victims" injured "as a result of the Israeli occupation forces targeting citizens who were forced to leave their homes."
The Israeli forces have not commented on these accusations, and it remains uncertain whether militants were present among the convoy passengers.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have relocated to the south after Israel issued an evacuation order on Thursday night, initially granting Gaza residents 24 hours to move from the north to "save their lives" in anticipation of an expected ground offensive, as per the UN. Before the evacuation order, over 400,000 Palestinians had already been internally displaced.
Israel's forced relocation order has drawn extensive criticism from human rights organizations, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging Tel Aviv to reconsider, emphasizing the importance of adhering to international humanitarian norms even in times of conflict. Guterres expressed his concerns on X (formerly Twitter) by stating, "Even wars have rules."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also appealed to Israel to "immediately rescind orders for the evacuation of over 1 million people living north of Wadi Gaza." The WHO highlighted the disastrous consequences of a mass evacuation on patients, health workers, and civilians left behind in a territory under siege, emphasizing the absence of safe places for civilians due to ongoing airstrikes and closed borders.