Israel continues its preparations to carry out a ground invasion in Gaza after extending the deadline it granted the Palestinians to evacuate the area. Meanwhile, the Israeli army confirmed that it was awaiting a "political decision" regarding the timing of the major attack on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army ordered the immediate evacuation of civilians from an area near the border with Lebanon after a person was killed as a result of a missile strike on one of the border towns, following an exchange of bombing with Hezbollah.
Two Israeli army spokesmen said that the army is awaiting a "political decision" regarding the timing of the major ground attack on the Gaza Strip, while thousands of residents of the northern Strip are trying to flee.
In preparation for a ground attack, the army had called on Friday civilians in the northern Gaza Strip - that is, 1.1 million of the 2.4 million people who are the population of the Gaza Strip - to move towards the south, and urged them not to delay.
Speakers Richard Hecht and Daniel Hagary said in two press briefings that the “political decision” will determine the timing of any military action.
France 24 envoy to the Gaza Strip, Ammar Al-Hamidawi, said that the Israeli army is continuing its preparations to carry out a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in response to the surprise attack launched by Hamas on the Hebrew state on October 7. Al-Hamidawi added that he saw armored vehicles, tanks, and large numbers of soldiers arriving at the border with Gaza, while Israeli artillery near the Strip continued to bomb areas inside it.
Israeli forces were preparing on Sunday for an imminent ground attack on the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas," while Iran warned of "far-reaching consequences" if the Israeli bombing did not stop. Tel Aviv gave residents of the northern Gaza Strip additional time on Saturday to evacuate the area, and pledged to eliminate Hamas in response to its attack on Israeli towns on October 7.
France 24 envoy to the Gaza Strip, Ammar Al-Hamidawi, said that the Israeli army is continuing its preparations to carry out the ground invasion, adding that he saw armored vehicles, tanks, and large numbers of soldiers arriving at the border with Gaza, while Israeli artillery near the Strip continues to bombard areas inside it.
The Israeli army says that the center of operations for Hamas, which the United States, the European Union and Israel consider a terrorist organization, is located in Gaza City in the northern Strip.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the past hours from Gaza City towards the south of the Strip. A large number of them arrived in the Rafah area, adjacent to the Egyptian border, and are trying to find shelter and places to stay.
For his part, the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, confirmed on Saturday that “there is no immigration from the Gaza Strip,” describing the attack carried out by Hamas a week ago against Israel as a “strategic strike.” Haniyeh said in a televised speech: “The people of Gaza are rooted in their land. They will not leave Gaza. They will not emigrate, no matter what you murderers and criminals do.” He added: "There is no immigration from the West Bank and no immigration from Gaza to Egypt."
