Israel killed 900 militants in Gaza’s Rafah: Israeli army chief
Israel has killed about 900 militants in Rafah since the beginning of Israel's ground assault on the southernmost city in Gaza in early May, Israel's military Chief Herzi Halevi said.
The United Nations (UN) has called on the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to take back their mass evacuation orders in Gaza, warning it could lead to “devastating humanitarian consequences”.
The IDF has given a 24-hour deadline to the Gazans living in the northern part of the Hamas-controlled region to evacuate to the south as Israel is expected to launch a ground assault into Gaza to destroy the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas.
“The UN considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” the United Nations said in a statement asking Israel to withdraw the evacuation order.
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According to the UN, the evacuation order will affect around 1.1 million Gazans – roughly half the total population of the Hamas-controlled region.
Israel has defended the mass evacuation order, saying it was trying to minimize the civilian casualties and termed the UN’s response “shameful”.
Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Israel asks Gazans to flee north within 24 hours | 10 points
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting on Israel-Hamas war later today.
US state secretary Antony Blinken, who met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, is likely to hold a separate meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Besides, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin is also expected to land in Israel soon.
Israel has declared a war against Hamas after the militant group launched an unprecedented ground assault in Israel last week. Hamas militants killed babies, their mothers and fathers, soldiers and even foreign nationals in the brutal attack.
They also kidnapped nearly 150 people, including toddlers, women and IDF soldiers. In response, Israel has been pounding Gaza, from where Hamas operates and attacks. The Israeli military is expected to launch a full blown ground assault to target the underground tunnels and bunkers being used by Hamas.
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