Israel warns more than 1 million people to evacuate northern Gaza
The order from Israel faced immediate international objections, including from the U.N., which warned such an evacuation would have "devastating humanitarian consequences."
Updated October 13, 2023 at 11:49 AM ET
TEL AVIV, Israel — More than 1 million residents of the besieged Gaza Strip have been warned to leave their homes within 24 hours, as an unprecedented evacuation order from the Israeli military unleashed a new level of panic and chaos in the besieged territory.
The evacuation order, which applies to Gaza City, affects about half the population in the territory, which is roughly 140 square miles in area — far smaller than most U.S. counties. All of Gaza's border crossings are currently closed, leaving civilians largely trapped inside.
Within hours of the order, many Palestinians had begun to evacuate to the south of Gaza — some making the exit from Gaza City on foot. Practical concerns prevented others from evacuating on short
