Gaza student speaks to WION: People walking 30km to flee Israel stikes, many camping at hospital

Israel's military has issued an order for the evacuation of all civilians residing in Gaza City and the northern region of the Gaza Strip in anticipation of a potential ground offensive in the besieged enclave.

This directive was issued on Friday (Oct 13) following a warning received by the United Nations from Israel, instructing the evacuation of 1.1 million people living in the north of Gaza within a 24-hour period.

The order, which comes on the seventh day of an ongoing war and a declared "total blockade" by Israel, instructs the residents of Gaza City to relocate further south within the Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal area with a population of around 2.3 million.

As per the flyer accessed by WION which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dropped from planes into Gaza, the IDF has urged civilians to move to the south of Gaza, and not return to their homes until further notice. 

Image: Flyers dropped by the IDF asking Gazans to move to the south Credit: WION

What's happening on the ground?

As the news began to circulate, anxious residents became increasingly fearful and confused.

A Gazan student (who chose to stay anonymous), told WION, "The situation is now extremely dire. Many people have left their homes on foot, covering a distance of 33 kilometres. It's a painful scene with a huge number of families leaving the city, carrying their belongings, mattresses, and suitcases".

"Simultaneously, Israeli airplanes have blocked the main routes, making it difficult for people to move from the north to the south of Gaza. A dozen neighbourhoods have been devastated. The current situation is a true humanitarian crisis," he said.

"Many people are taking shelter at the Al-Shifa Hospital, and are reluctant to move the south." he added. 

The largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip, Al Shifa Hospital, is presently overwhelmed with injured patients. The hospital is operating significantly beyond its designated 500-bed capacity and has sufficient fuel to keep its generators running for an additional four days, as per the New York Times report.

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As per the Israeli army, this evacuation is motivated by concerns that Hamas fighters are hiding in tunnels beneath Gaza City.

They say that this evacuation is for the safety of the civilians in Gaza City. They also caution against approaching the security fence with Israel and pledge to make substantial efforts to avoid harming civilians during their operations in Gaza City in the coming days.

Hamas, the governing body in Gaza, dismisses the Israeli army's evacuation warning as "fake propaganda." The Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs urges residents in the north to stay in their homes and resist what they describe as a psychological war by the occupying forces.

The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the broad evacuation order encompassing Gaza's north, which also affects UN staff and the hundreds of thousands of people who have sought shelter in UN facilities since Israel initiated round-the-clock airstrikes.

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