Israel’s military has delivered sweeping evacuation orders for almost half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people before an expected ground offensive aiming to eradicate the Hamas militant group after its unprecedented assault on Israel and the seizure of dozens of hostages.
In the blockaded enclave, the evacuation notice issued in the early hours of Friday sent panic through civilians and aid workers already struggling under intense Israeli airstrikes, and a blockade in which no food, fuel or medical supplies is being allowed in. The UN considers the tightened siege a war crime.
