Families in cars, trucks and donkey carts packed with their possessions crowded a main road heading southward from Gaza City as Israeli airstrikes continued...
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinians scrambled to flee northern Gaza on Saturday after Israel ordered nearly half the population to flee south and carried out limited ground forays ahead of an expected land offensive, as the war appeared set to escalate a week after Hamas’ bloody, wide-ranging attack into Israel.
In urging the evacuation, Israel’s military said it planned to target underground Hamas hideouts around Gaza City. But Palestinians and some Egyptian officials fear that Israel ultimately aims to push Gaza’s people out through the southern border with Egypt.Hamas told people to ignore the evacuation order. Families in Gaza faced what agonizing dillemas in deciding whether to leave or stay, with no safe ground anywhere.
In Israel, the public remained in shock over the Hamas rampage and frightened by continual rocket fire out of Gaza. Residents are overwhelmingly in favor of a military offensive, and Israeli TV stations have set up special broadcasts with slogans like “together we will win” and “strong together.” Their reports focus heavily on the aftermath of the Hamas attack and stories of heroism and national unity, and they make scant mention of the unfolding crisis in Gaza.
“So those who want to save their life, please go south,” he said at a news conference Friday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “Why should we trust that they’re trying to keep us safe?” Hamoudi said, her voice choking. “They are sick.”
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