Israel Matzav

IDF warns 'Palestinians' to leave northern Gaza by 8:00 am - UPDATED

The IDF warned residents of Northern Gaza to leave the area by 8:00 am on Wednesday, in order to avoid harm in its upcoming assault. Hamas, of course, wants the human shields to stay.

The IDF was sending voice messages to residents in northern Gaza late on Tuesday, advising them to evacuate their homes by 8 a.m. Wednesday and distance themselves from Hamas operatives as part of Israeli efforts to minimize civilian harm ahead of potential strikes.

Hamas' Interior Ministry urged residents of Gaza not to heed to the IDF calls to leave their homes, saying the warning were part of Israel's "psychological war." 

...

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip claimed on Tuesday that they had been receiving text messages and pre-recorded phone calls from the IDF that blame Hamas for the renewal of Israeli strikes following Hamas's rejection of the ceasefire.

Some 20,000 Palestinian civilians have heeded previous Israeli calls and left Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu had earlier warned that Israel would widen its offensive in Gaza if the rocket attacks continued.

The problem is that it's not that they have to destroy the buildings - they also have to kill the Hamas terrorists. Too little of that is being done.

UPDATE 10:15 AM

The IDF extended the deadline to 9:00 am and gave the residents a map (see above) that showed them where to go (West, not South).

Labels: civilian casualties, Gaza, Hamas, human shields, IDF, Operation Protective Edge

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:37 AM