On 22nd October, Israel issued a fresh warning to the residents of Gaza. In a leaflet distributed by the Israeli forces, the Gaza residents have been urged to leave the northern part and relocate to the southern areas. Israel warned in the leaflet that if the residents fail to comply with the instructions, they could be perceived as supporters of a “terrorist organisation”. Notably, there were reports that Hamas had been forcefully stopping the residents of Gaza from leaving in an attempt to use them as human shields against Israeli strikes.
In the leaflet, the message read, “Urgent warning to residents of Gaza. Your presence north of Wadi Gaza puts your life in danger. Whoever chooses not to leave North Gaza to move to the south of Wadi Gaza might be identified as an accomplice in a terrorist organisation.”
The leaflets distributed in Gaza contained the Israel Defense Forces’ name and emblem. Furthermore, mobile phone audio messages were sent to the people living across the Gaza Strip, issuing the same warning. The message from Israel came in the middle of intensive aerial strikes on Gaza and its preparations for a potential ground incursion along the Gaza border.
The Israeli military has categorically said that they have no intentions to categorise anyone as a member of a terrorist group if they have not evacuated. Furthermore, they emphasised that the civilians were never the target and Israeli forces aimed at minimising harm to the civilians. IDF has urged the residents of Gaza to evacuate multiple times for their own safety.
The Deputy Chief of the Hamas rocket force killed
Meanwhile, IDF spokesperson Read Adm Daniel Hagari said in a statement on 22nd October that the deputy chief of the terrorist organisation Hamas’s rocket force and dozens of other terrorists were killed in overnight strikes on Gaza.
Israel Hamas war
On 7th October, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with over 5,000 rockets in a matter of few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza. In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, thousands have been reportedly killed in the Israel-Hamas war. The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,400, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza, restricting power and water supply and blocking essential goods from entering the region. Over 400,000 Gaza residents were evacuated. India has launched its own Operation Ajay to evacuate Indians from Israel during this conflict.
