✕
Close
Israel has order the evacuation of parts of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah ahead of an imminent ground offensive in the region.
"To all the residents and displaced people in Rafah area ... you are in a dangerous combat zone,” the evacuation leaflets read, before specifying certain parts of the region.
“The [Israeli military] will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence. Everyone in these areas is risking their lives and the lives of their family members. For your safety, we ask you to evacuate immediately to the humanitarian zone.”
Army spokesman Avichay Adraee added that the military will also move into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
It comes as the United Nations warned that food supplies in the southern Gaza region where Israel intend to conduct another ground attack “will run out tomorrow”.
The shortages have been caused by Israel’s closure of two crossings in the south through which humanitarian aid was being moved into Gaza. They are currently being blocked by Israeli forces ahead of a ground offensive in Rafah.
Key Points
- Israeli military issues fresh evacuation order for Gaza
- UN warns food supplies will ‘run out tomorrow’ in southern Gaza
- US says Israel's use of American weapons in Gaza likely violated international law
- UN assembly backs new drive for Palestine to become full member
UPDATE: Gaza health ministry provides latest death toll
At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed and 78,641 others wounded in Israel‘s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has said in an update.
Watch live view of camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah as Israeli strikes intensify
Watch a live view from a camp for displaced people in Rafah on Friday 10 May.
As Israeli forces gather on the outskirts of the southern Gaza city, Palestinians fear another “Nakba”, when 700,000 of them were permanently driven from their homes at the creation of Israel in 1948.
View of camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah as Israeli strikes intensify
Watch a view from a camp for displaced people in Rafah on Friday 10 May.
Tom Watling11 May 2024 12:30 1715425237Israel’s ambassador ‘shreds’ UN Charter in protest of Palestinian statehood recognition vote
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations “shredded the UN Charter” whilst giving a speech at the General Assembly.
Gilad Erdan shredded a tiny version of the Charter in a mini paper shredder whilst on the podium in protest at the Assembly’s resolution to urge the recognition of a Palestinian state.
The General Assembly voted 143 to 9 in favour of urging the Security Council to recognise Palestine, 25 countries abstained.
At the moment, Palestine is recognised as an “observer” state in the United Nations.
Only the Security Council can decide on full recognition of a state in the UN.
Israel’s ambassador ‘shreds’ UN Charter in protest of Palestinian statehood vote
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations “shredded the UN Charter” whilst giving a speech at the General Assembly. Gilad Erdan shredded a tiny version of the Charter in a mini paper shredder whilst on the podium in protest at the Assembly’s resolution to urge the recognition of a Palestinian state. The General Assembly voted 143 to 9 in favour of urging the Security Council to recognise Palestine, 25 countries abstained. At the moment, Palestine is recognised as an “observer” state in the United Nations. Only the Security Council can decide on full recognition of a state in the UN.
Tom Watling11 May 2024 12:00 1715423437US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza
A State Department report has found “reasonable” evidence that Israel has violated international humanitarian law using US weapons in Gaza.
The long-awaited report could have required the US to stop sending weapons to its ally if it had violated the terms of a weapons agreement.
But the investigation could not immediately link the violations to US arms, which leaves the Biden administration with some leeway on whether to restrict future sales.
US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza
The long-anticipated report had been delayed for several days
Tom Watling11 May 2024 11:30 1715421637Here are some of the latest photos coming out of Gaza
Below are some of the latest photos coming out of Gaza as Israel prepares to attack the southern city of Rafah.
UN warns food supplies will ‘run out tomorrow’ in southern Gaza
The United Nations has warned that food supplies will “run out tomorrow” in southern Gaza as the two crossings into the area remain blocked and closed by Israeli forces.
Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the Gaza office for the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said: “The closure, especially of the Rafah crossing and Kerem Shalom, has severed access for us to fuel, to supplies, and the movement of humanitarian staff.
“It has also affected the movement of any civilians who could go out on medical evacuation.
“The World Food Programme and UNRWA will run out of food for distribution in the south by tomorrow.
“That means that people will be left only with aid that has already been distributed in their shelters, in their homes and on site.
“As of today, we have 12 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners here in South Gaza. Eight have ceased to operate due to a lack of human stock and four that are still operating at reduced capacity will be out of that stock by Monday.”
Tom Watling11 May 2024 10:30 1715418037Gaza doctor recounts horrifying child injuries
Earlier, we reported that an emergency doctor had told us about several children who had suffered horrifying injuries that he said were the result of Israeli airstrikes this morning and earlier this week.
The Hamas-run health ministry has claimed that the majority of those killed or wounded in the Gaza Strip over the past seven months have been women and children.
Below, we print in full his quotes detailing these stories. Readers are advised that the content is of a graphic nature.
“We’ve had numerous young children and teenagers with blast and burn injuries from this morning’s attacks,” he said.
“One teenage boy came in in respiratory arrest. We revived him initially with oxygen and ventilation. However, it became apparent that his lung had been penetrated by the shrapnel and it had torn a hole in his heart. We did open heart surgery in the resuscitation room and attempted to repair the holes in his heart but despite our best efforts we were unable to revive him.
“There have been many other children here who came in with extensive burns, affecting anywhere between 20 and 50 per cent of their body surface. They are in extreme pain and their skin is sloughing off, and we’ve been struggling to keep up with the amount of pain relief they need and to dress the burns and the many lacerations and wounds.
“We’ve had another child who was brought in after having drowned in the sea. The child’s father said that the children were playing at the beach and they were being shot whilst at the beach and so many children ran into the sea in order to try and avoid getting shot. The drowned child was brought into the emergency room with severe breathing problems and has now been put on a mechanical ventilator.”
Gaza doctor says hospital staff are ‘at the end of their reserves’
An emergency doctor based in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis has said hospital staff are “at the end of their reserves” after a “barrage of patients”.
Based out of the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis, the doctor recounted to The Independent several graphic stories concerning the wellbeing of Palestinian children injured this morning and in other airstrikes.
Hospitals have been under further strain after Israeli tanks crossed and then blocked the Egyptian crossing into Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, at the start of this week ahead of a ground offensive.
“We’ve had a barrage of patients being brought to hospital: by donkey cart, by pickup truck, carried in on foot, by ambulance,” he said in a voice note.
“The situation here is dire. Staff are very much at the end of their reserves. Many doctors and nurses have been unable to get to work but also, have said they have learnt the lessons from previous area invasions and are fearful for the hospital being invaded. They fear being buried in mass graves, like at Nasser [hospital].”
Rafah citizen: We do not know where to go
A resident of Rafah has said people are “confused” after Israeli forces dropped evacuation leaflets onto the southern city of Gaza this morning.
The citizen, who asked only to be identified as Ali, told The Independent that the hundreds of thousands of civilians in the area “do not know if they should move from the west or middle area of Rafah” to avoid being caught up in Israel’s imminent ground offensive.
“People are confused regarding the news they’re hearing,” he said. “They do not know if they should move from the west or middle area of Rafah, or the areas that were not identified as safe places or dangerous places.”
He added that many were “severely disappointed” about the incoming Israeli ground assault given the “good news” they celebrated when Hamas accepted an earlier ceasefire proposal.
That deal, co-authored by Egypt and Qatar last weekend, and signed off by the US, was rejected by Israel, who insisted upon eventually carrying out an offensive in Rafah.
Ali said the good news has “quickly turned from positive to negative”.
He added that the nearest city to Rafah, Khan Yunis, has been “mostly destroyed and is not suitable for residence.
“It does not have the basic human necessities, especially water. There are empty places, but there is no water, no infrastructure to move there. So how can they survive there,” he said.
See the Israeli evacuation notice to Palestinians in Rafah in full
Below, you can see in full the Israeli evacuation notice issued to Palestinians in Rafah, the southernmost major city in Gaza.
The leaflets were airdropped into Rafah and posted by the Israeli military's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee on X, formerly Twitter.
"To all the residents and displaced people in Rafah area, Rafah's camps, Al Shaboura, and the neighborhoods of Al-Jeneina, administrative district and Khirbet Al-Adas in the blocks of (31.27.26.25.9.8.7.6), you are in a dangerous combat zone,” the note read.
“The IDF will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence. Everyone in these areas is risking their lives and the lives of their family members.
“For your safety, we ask you to evacuate immediately to the humanitarian zone. It is strictly forbidden to get close to the security wall. Getting close to the wall poses a threat to your life and security.”
Tom Watling11 May 2024 09:10 Newer1 / 5OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
