Israel Defense Forces says it will allow four-hour window for civilians in Gaza to evacuate

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that it will open a four-hour window for people in northern Gaza to move to the south. The IDF has repeatedly called for civilians in Gaza to move towards the southern part of the territory as it intensified its air and ground assault on Gaza City and Northern Gaza. The IDF says the two areas are being used by Palestinian terror group Hamas.

 

A spokesman for the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip has said that the Israeli military struck a refugee camp last night, killing at least 38 people in the al-Maghazi refugee camp. The strike came as Israel said it would press on with its offensive to crush the Hamas rulers in the territory.

 

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State



Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to the West Bank today and met with the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Blinken has been working with leaders in the region on a humanitarian pause. The Palestinian leader told the US Secretary of State that there must be an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.

The US and its Arab allies are divided on the question of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The Arab nations including Qatar, Saudi, Egypt, Jordan and UAE, urge an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The US on the other hand says, ceasefire would be counterproductive and benefit only Hamas allowing it to regroup and attack again.