Gaza conflict: Israel orders further evacuations amid intensified military actions

This move is part of a broader plan that includes a potential ground attack on Rafah. A military spokesperson also directed residents and displaced individuals from Jabalia and 11 other neighborhoods in northern Gaza to seek immediate shelter in areas west of Gaza City.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli airstrikes targeted several locations in central Gaza overnight, resulting in 24 Palestinian casualties. Despite substantial pressure from the U.S. and concerns raised by humanitarian organizations, Israel plans to continue its incursion into Rafah, where over a million displaced individuals have found refuge during the seven-month conflict. The Israeli military reports approximately 300,000 Gazans have already relocated to Al-Mawasi.

In a strategic move on Friday, Israeli tanks seized control of the main road that divides Rafah, effectively isolating its eastern section. This military maneuver led the U.S. to delay some military aid deliveries to Israel. The White House expressed concern about these operations, noting they were concentrated around the closed Rafah crossing and did not indicate a broader city invasion.

The ongoing conflict, triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages, has escalated tensions. Israel's campaign in Gaza aims to dismantle Hamas and has resulted in nearly 35,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry, and has devastated the region, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis.

In its latest statement, the Biden administration highlighted potential violations of international humanitarian law by Israel during its operations in Gaza, marking its strongest criticism of Israel's military actions to date. However, it also noted the challenges in verifying specific incidents due to the ongoing chaos of the war.