Hamas says in a statement that the Biden administration essentially gave Israel Defense Forces a “green light” to carry out the raid, which the White House rejects.
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Israel has ordered Palestinians to leave four towns in southern Gaza on Thursday, signaling a possible expansion of its war against Hamas militants into areas where Israeli officials had told people it was safe to stay, reports VOA.
Israel dropped leaflets from aircraft overnight, telling civilians to leave the towns of Bani Shuhaila, Khuzaa, Abassan and Qarara, on the eastern edge of Khan Younis, the main southern city.
“The acts of Hamas terrorist group require the defense forces to act against them in the areas of your residence,” the leaflets said, according to residents. “For your safety, you need to evacuate your places of residence immediately and head to known shelters.”
Residents in the area said there was a heavy Israeli bombardment overnight.
Latest developments:
- Israel warns Palestinians to leave four towns in southern Gaza, possibly presaging new Israeli attacks in the area.
- Israeli forces continue operations around Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
- U.S. President Joe Biden accuses Hamas of operating a command center at Shifa Hospital, which he called a “war crime.” Hamas and hospital officials deny that the medical center — Gaza’s largest — is being used for that purpose.
- Hamas says in a statement that the Biden administration essentially gave Israel Defense Forces a “green light” to carry out the raid, which the White House rejects.
- The head of the World Health Organization calls the raid “totally unacceptable.”
- The U.N. Security Council passes a resolution calling for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses” in Gaza. Israel says the resolution is “detached from the reality on the ground.”
Meanwhile, in Gaza City, in the northern part of the territory along the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli troops continued to search the Shifa Hospital, which it raided on Wednesday in the belief it was a Hamas command center. Israel displayed weapons it said it found at the hospital and Hamas intelligence reports, but Hamas said no arms were found.
Israel has yet to release any evidence of the central Hamas command center that Israel has said was concealed beneath the complex. Hamas and staff at the hospital, Gaza’s largest, deny the allegations.