Israel on Saturday issued another urgent call for civilians living in the densely populated northern half of the Gaza Strip to immediately head south for their own safety, indicating that a widely expected ground offensive in the country’s week-old war against Hamas could soon commence.
Israeli Defense Forces officials said civilians living in the vicinity of Gaza City should evacuate south of the Gaza Wadi wetlands area, located near the middle of the 25-miles-long Gaza Strip. They issued the warning so civilians won’t be “in an area where we are going to enhance our military operation,” an IDF spokesman said.
“We advertise our intentions in advance, not because it has any military logic - it doesn’t - but because we want civilians not to be affected by the war,” said IDF Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus. “We didn’t put those civilians there. They are not our enemy.”
Saturday’s renewed warning to Gaza Strip civilians came a week after Hamas terrorists launched a devastating attack against Israel. After breaching an opening in the barrier, Hamas fighters swarmed into southern Israel, killing more than 1,300 civilians and kidnapping dozens more.
Jerusalem countered the unprecedented raid with an equally unprecedented series of air strikes against the Gaza Strip that Palestinian officials said resulted in the deaths of more than, 2,200 Gaza residents.
“We are not trying to kill or injure any civilians. We are fighting and targeting Hamas and its military infrastructure wherever it is,” Lt. Col. Conricus said Saturday.
He said the IDF is tracking a “significant” number of civilians heading away from Gaza City, where most of the Hamas leadership is located and where their weapons and rockets are stored.
“They are doing the right thing for their families and their safety,” Lt. Col. Conricus said. “Hopefully the Palestinians will do that as fast as possible - vacate the area for their own safety and only return when we tell them it is safe to do so.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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