Israel has issued an extraordinary directive to evacuate one million individuals in Gaza, amidst the looming possibility of a ground offensive.

Israel’s military issued an extraordinary directive on Friday, instructing approximately 1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate and relocate to the southern region of the besieged territory. This unprecedented order, targeting nearly half of the population, is in preparation for an anticipated ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group.

The United Nations issued a warning about the potential disastrous consequences of a large number of people fleeing within a short 24-hour timeframe. Hamas, responsible for a recent violent attack on Israel and continuous rocket launches, disregarded the warning as a tactic and urged people to remain in their homes.

The directive to evacuate, which encompasses Gaza City, where a large population of Palestinians reside, caused great fear and distress among civilians and humanitarian workers who were already fleeing from Israeli airstrikes. They were also dealing with a complete blockade and a blackout affecting the entire territory.

Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, expressed deep distress, emphasizing that survival has become the sole focus, overshadowing concerns about food, electricity, and fuel.

The war has already claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. Israel has traded fire in recent days with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, sparking fears of an ever wider conflict, though that frontier is currently calm.

Protests erupted throughout the Middle East due to the weekly Muslim prayers, causing heightened tensions in Jerusalem’s Old City. The Islamic organization responsible for overseeing the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a highly disputed holy site in the city, accused Israeli authorities of preventing all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering.

Israel has bombarded Gaza round-the-clock since a weekend attack in which Hamas fighters stormed into the country’s south and massacred hundreds, including killing children in their homes and young people at a music festival. Militants also snatched some 150 people and dragged them into Gaza.

Hamas reported that 13 hostages were killed by Israel’s airstrikes within the last 24 hours. The casualties included individuals from other countries, although their nationalities were not specified.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, refuted the claim, stating in Al-Jazeera Arabic that they possess their own intelligence and do not trust Hamas’ falsehoods.

Israel announced on Thursday that it will not permit any supplies to enter Gaza until Hamas releases the hostages.

The military has issued a directive for residents in the northern part of Gaza to relocate to the southern region. This order, according to the U.N., impacts approximately 1.1 million individuals. On Friday, the military persisted in conducting attacks throughout the area and has not shown any signs of ceasing operations in the southern part.

Israel stated that it was necessary to focus on Hamas’ military facilities, many of which are located underground. Jonathan Conricus, another spokesperson, mentioned that the military would make significant attempts to prevent harm to civilians and that residents would be permitted to return once the conflict concludes.

Israel has consistently accused Hamas militants of deliberately operating in civilian areas, effectively using Palestinians as human shields. If a large-scale evacuation of civilians were to occur, it would leave the fighters of Hamas vulnerable like never before.

However, according to U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, attempting to carry out this evacuation would result in severe humanitarian consequences. Dujarric urged Israel to revoke any orders of this nature, as they have the potential to escalate the current tragedy into a catastrophic scenario.

Hamas, on the other hand, urged Palestinians to remain in their residences, asserting that Israel is attempting to cause chaos among the population and disrupt our unity. It advised Palestinians to disregard what it deemed as “psychological manipulation.”

The Health Ministry of Gaza stated that evacuating the numerous injured individuals from hospitals was not feasible, and the hospital personnel would not pay attention to the warning.

“I am unable to reword the text.”

UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, has decided not to evacuate the schools where many people have sought refuge. However, they have moved their headquarters to southern Gaza, as stated by spokesperson Juliette Touma.

When asked if the army would safeguard hospitals, U.N. shelters, and other places where civilians are present, Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli military, cautioned that “it is a zone of conflict.”

He stated that if Hamas obstructs the evacuation of residents, they are the ones responsible.

Clive Baldwin a senior legal adviser at the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said “ordering a million people in Gaza to evacuate, when there’s no safe place to go, is not an effective warning.”

“The condition of the roads is deteriorated, there is a shortage of fuel, and the primary hospital is located within the area designated for evacuation,” he expressed. “It is crucial for global leaders to voice their concerns promptly to prevent any further delay.”

The issuance of evacuation orders was seen as confirmation of an anticipated Israeli ground attack, although Israel has not officially declared their intentions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a strong commitment to “defeat” Hamas, the governing body in Gaza since 2007. There is significant public demand for his government to completely dismantle the group instead of containing it within Gaza, as they have done in the past.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit, along with deliveries of U.S. weapons, gave Israel a strong signal to proceed with its retaliation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also arrived in Israel on Friday.

However, engaging in a military operation on the ground in the crowded and poor Gaza would probably result in even more casualties for both parties involved, due to intense and brutal close-quarters combat.

Farsakh, an official from the Palestinian Red Crescent, expressed doubts about the possibility of safely relocating such a large number of people, particularly those who are unwell.

She inquired about the fate of our patients. We have individuals who are wounded, elderly, and children receiving medical care.

Beyond the immediate fear and logistical difficulties, the order has deep resonance in Gaza, where more than half of the Palestinians are the descendants of refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from what is now Israel. That exodus is deeply seared into their collective memory.

According to the U.N., Israeli airstrikes have already displaced approximately 423,000 individuals in Gaza, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the population.

Neighboring Egypt has meanwhile taken “unprecedented measures” to reinforce its border with Gaza and prevent any breaches, a senior Egyptian security official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago and has long served as a regional mediator, is staunchly opposed to resettling Palestinians on its territory, both because of the costs involved and because it would undermine their quest for an independent state. The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, has been closed because of airstrikes.

Hamas’ unprecedented assault last Saturday, and days of heavy rocket fire since, have killed more than 1,300 people in Israel, including 247 soldiers – a toll unseen in Israel for decades. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel claims that approximately 1,500 individuals affiliated with Hamas were killed within Israeli territory, and asserts that a significant number of casualties in Gaza are Hamas operatives.

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Shurafa provided information from Gaza City, Gaza Strip, while Lederer reported from Chicago. The report also includes contributions from Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem, Samya Kullab in Baghdad, Samy Magdy in Cairo, and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut.