Following warnings from the Israeli army and a lack of humanitarian aid, large groups of people are fleeing Gaza City. Satellite images captured by Maxar Technologies on Friday show large crowds gathered on the outskirts of the devastated city.
The group was spotted at 11:31 a.m. local time along Salah al-Deen Road, an evacuation route that runs north to south through the Gaza Strip. The group appears to be heading south towards Al Musaddar.
Where people were seen fleeing Gaza City
Leaflets were dropped over Gaza City
The mass evacuation may have been due to leaflets the Israeli army dropped over Gaza City on Thursday calling on people to evacuate the area. Similar leaflets were dropped throughout the northern Gaza Strip in the weeks before Israel’s ground assault began.
More than 2 million people are at risk of starvation in Gaza
Gaza remains in a near-total communications blackout as fuel shortages hamper humanitarian efforts and impact critical infrastructure.
U.N. agencies released statements Thursday and Friday saying Gaza’s 2.3 million people are at risk of starvation and are at increased risk of disease as water desalination and sewage plants stop operating.
According to the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees, around 70% of the Gaza Strip population drinks salty and contaminated water. In addition, the World Health Program reported that only 10% of necessary food supplies had arrived in Gaza since the war began on October 7.
Contributor: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY