Following the brutal attacks by the Hamas militants early on October 7 in the southern areas of the Jewish state, backed by a barrage of rockets that hit even the central parts of the country, Israel vowed an unprecedented offensive against the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007.<\/p>\n
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Israeli warplanes have since pounded downtown Gaza City, home to Hamas’ centres of government.<\/p>\n
On the seventh day, over 3,000 people were killed on both sides. In Gaza, at least 1,799 people have been killed, according to authorities there.<\/p>\n
Israel Defence Forces on Friday ordered some 1.1 million Palestinians, roughly half the population of the densely populated territory under Islamist Hamas’ control, to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory.<\/p>\n
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The move is being seen as a preparation for an imminent massive ground incursion, with Israel drafting an unprecedented number of Israeli reservists, starting on Saturday when it faced brutal attacks in its southern areas by Hamas.<\/p>\n
“We will stay here and see if we can be allowed to move into Egypt, where my two other children also study,” Shaboo said.<\/p>\n
The only exit route from Gaza, the Rafah crossing with Egypt, was closed down on Monday, practically closing all possibilities of escape for Gazans.<\/p>\n
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United Nations agencies working in Gaza have warned that the Israeli decision could ‘prove calamitous’.<\/p>\n
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