Israeli Defense Forces, on Friday in a tweet, warned North Gaza residents to evacuate by 8pm, not paying heeds from several humanitarian groups warning against the warning. The tweet came several hours after the IDF had warned North Gaza residents to evacuate within twenty four hours.
In the later tweet IDF wrote “If you are concerned about yourself and your loved ones, you should head south according to our instructions. Rest assured that Hamas leaders only care about protecting themselves".
Media correspondents reporting from the battlefield said that several were seen fleeing on foot, with their children in ticked int heir arms towards southern Gaza.
However, many stayed back in Northern Gaza questioning is South Gaza really safe?
WHO had warned it would be “impossible” to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from the north of Gaza, calling it a “death sentence” for many.
Israeli military warned around 1.1 million Gazans living in the north of the Palestinian territory to flee "for their own safety and protection", ahead of an expected ground incursion.
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Some were in cars, many others were on foot as they sought to make the trip to the south of the densely populated territory that is home to 2.4 million people on its 362 square kilometres (140 square miles).
Most of the people in the north and in Gaza City have not evacuated. Some of them told an Al Jazeera correspondent, “Where can we go? Are there any real sheltering facilities in the south?”
"How long will the strikes and death last? We have no homes left, every area of Gaza is under threat," asked 29-year-old to AFP, her face streaked with tears.
The majority of Gazans have been boxed into the small territory under a strict air, land and sea blockade imposed by Israel since 2006.
After gunmen from Hamas -- which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007 -- stormed across the border into Israel on Saturday, killing more than 1,300 people, Israel has imposed a "complete seige" on Gaza, cutting off all water, electricity and food supplies.
Israel has also been relentlessly bombing Gaza in airstrikes that have so far claimed about 1,800 lives.
The United Nations has urged Israel to rescind its call for Gazans to evacuate.
In the meantime, Israeli warplanes have dropped thousands of leaflets on Gaza, urging residents to head south, though the timeline for the evacuation is unclear after the army acknowledged the process may "take time".
Hamas has rejected the evacuation call, but did not actively block the thousands who are moving south, many with their belongings packed in plastic bags.
Residents of Gaza strip did not have an escape route even when Israeli Prime Minister warned them to ‘leave now’ when he decided to go all ballistic on Hamas fighters. Gaza strip residents who were stuck in the open prison imposed by Israeli occupation have been left with even lesser option as the imminence of an Israeli ground attack intensifies.
