And as troops prepared to enter, leaflets in Arabic were also dropped over Gaza advising that the area would be renamed a “battlefield.” And the army released a video statement in English that was clearly not aimed at the Palestinians but was a justification to the world for its actions in the face of the loss of support caused by the distribution of images of dead children.
The video propaganda argued that Hamas was using schools and hospitals as a front for its bases. In other words, the army will not spare these facilities.
“Attention, citizens of Gaza, listen carefully. This is an urgent military appeal from the Israel Defense Forces. For your immediate safety, we ask all residents of northern Gaza and Gaza City to immediately temporarily relocate to the south,” the statement said.
The request reiterates the order issued days ago to evacuate the northern half of the territory, which led to a refugee wave of hundreds of thousands of people heading south, where they found hunger, homelessness and disease due to the collapse of basic sanitation. So much so that many Palestinians returned to the north after also dying in the south.
The ultimatum is full of cynicism, considering that the army has also bombed the south of the Gaza Strip, such as the Khan Younis region, killing and wounding people, including United Nations staff. As health professionals working in hospitals in the region told me, there is no safe place in Gaza today.
At a press conference, Netanyahu described as “hypocrites and liars” those who suggest that Tel Aviv has committed a war crime against the civilian population by violating the 4th Geneva Convention with a siege that prevents the flow of water, food, Energy and medication reach everyone. And he promised that the war would be “long and difficult.”