Türkiye condemned Friday Israel’s call for Gaza City residents to evacuate to the southern part of the Gaza Strip within 24 hours ahead of a possible ground offensive, saying the move violates international law.
“Forcing the Gazan people of 2.5 million, who have been under indiscriminate bombing and deprived collectively of electricity, water and food, to relocate in an extremely small area is a blatant breach of international law and inhumane,” the ministry said in a statement.
“We expect Israel to immediately reverse this grave mistake and immediately end its brutal and wholesale actions against the civilian population in Gaza,” it said.
On Friday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), citing safety concerns, ordered all civilians in the Gaza city which houses 1 million residents to relocate south within 24 hours, adding they would be able to return to the city “only when another announcement permitting it is made.”
Hamas dismissed the order and urged citizens to stay.
Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, prompting Israel to launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
The death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza and West Bank has totaled 1,843, while 6,638 others were wounded, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry said.
The Israeli fatalities have reached 1,300, while nearly 3,400 were injured, Israeli media reported on Friday, citing official sources.
