Israel Orders Evacuation of Four Cities in Southern Gaza Strip

On Thursday, November 16, Israel ordered residents of four cities—Bani Suheila, Khuza'a, Abasan, and Qarara—around Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip to evacuate. These cities, which housed 100,000 Palestinians before the current conflicts in Gaza, are now also accommodating tens of thousands of displaced individuals from northern Gaza who have sought refuge in the area following Israeli warnings. In announcements broadcast by the Israeli Air Force, it was stated that 'the actions of the terrorist group Hamas necessitate that defense forces take action against them in your residential areas.' The announcements further advised, 'For your own safety, you must leave your residences immediately and go to recognized shelters.' According to the broadcasts, 'Anyone close to terrorists or their facilities is putting their life at risk, and any house used by terrorists will be targeted.' Similar announcements were made about two weeks ago in the region, but this time, following the announcements, Israeli tanks began heavy attacks on these areas. Israel had previously ordered the evacuation of northern Gaza before commencing its ground assault, resulting in hundreds of thousands of Palestinians moving southward during tactical ceasefires monitored by Israeli soldiers. The United Nations has reported that about two-thirds of the population of Gaza, which numbers 2.3 million, has been displaced due to the conflicts following the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel. Following the Hamas attack, around 1,200 people were killed, most of whom were civilians. Subsequently, Israel besieged the Gaza Strip and targeted Hamas positions with heavy attacks. Health officials in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, have reported over 11,000 deaths, with 40% of the victims being children. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify the statistics provided by Hamas-controlled entities. Meanwhile, Israel has emphasized that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. On the other hand, Volker Turk, the UN Human Rights Commissioner, warned on Thursday that the outbreak of infectious diseases and hunger seems inevitable given the dire living conditions and severe overcrowding. Additionally, Reuters reported on Thursday that an accurate assessment of the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip could not be made on the second day of Israeli operations there due to the communication blackout of this medical facility with the outside world. In recent weeks, reports regarding the situation at Shifa Hospital, despite hundreds of patients and thousands of civilians trapped there, along with shortages of fuel, oxygen, and other essentials, have raised international concern. This comes as the Israeli army announced on Wednesday, November 15, that its soldiers discovered military equipment used by Hamas during an attack on Shifa Hospital. According to the Israeli army's statement, soldiers found a room in Shifa Hospital containing 'technology equipment along with weapons used by Hamas.' The United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated the Hamas militant group, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, as a terrorist organization. The first images from inside Shifa Hospital in Gaza show leftover Hamas weapons. The President of Israel stated that a 'very strong force' must be present to prevent Hamas from rising again in Gaza. Biden stated that the war will stop when Hamas can no longer kill Israelis. The battle between Israel and Hamas coincides with a war of misinformation and public deception in cyberspace. Erdogan and Netanyahu have engaged in a verbal dispute, with Erdogan calling Israel a terrorist state and Netanyahu accusing him of supporting Hamas. The leader of the Israeli opposition has called for the Prime Minister's removal. The Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for 'extended humanitarian pauses' in the Gaza Strip.