Updated
20,000 Palestinians evacuate Northern Gaza, Israel says Iran will pay ‘a heavy price’
Iran will “pay a heavy price” as Israel confirms its plan for retaliation. Meanwhile 20,000 people are evacuating Northern Gaza on foot as fighting intensifies. Warning: Graphic content.
Israel’s defence minister has vowed to unleash a fierce response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack sparking fears of a dramatic escalation.
Yoav Gallant spoke to airmen and women at the Hatzerim Airbase on Wednesday, the Times of Israel reported.
“After we strike in Iran, everyone will understand what you did in the preparation and training process,” Mr Gallant said.
“Everyone who dreamed a year ago of beating us and attacking us paid a heavy price and is no longer in that dream.”
Israel has yet to respond to the barrage of ballistic missiles Iran sent their way on October 1.
US President Joe Biden has confirmed he is privy to Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran.
Meanwhile 20,000 people have evacuated the Jabalya area in the northern Gaza Strip on foot as the Israeli Defence Force escalates its military operation against Hamas in the region.
The IDF said on Wednesday they had detained 150 suspected terrorists.
The Israeli military released aerial footage of thousands of Palestinian civilians evacuating on foot with only the belongings they can carry.
הלחץ הצב××™ של ×וגדה 162 על המרחב למול ×ž×—×‘×œ×™× ×•×˜×¨×•×¨ מתגבר ובמקביל צה״ל מ×פשר ל××–×¨×—×™× ×œ×”×ª×¤× ×•×ª למען ×‘×˜×—×•× × ×‘×ופן בטוח ודרך × ×ª×™×‘×™× ×ž×¡×•×“×¨×™×.
— ×¦×‘× ×”×”×’× ×” לישר×ל (@idfonline) October 23, 2024
שבירת המצור של חמ×ס על ג׳ב××œ×™× ×ž×ª×‘×˜×ת בעשרות ×לפי ××–×¨×—×™× ×©×ž×ª×¤× ×™× ×ž×”×יזור מ×תמול בשעות הבוקר>> pic.twitter.com/J2bCfzURMX
The IDF said in an accompanying statement they were “allowing civilians to evacuate for their safety in a safe manner and through organised routes.”
“The breaking of the Hamas siege on Jabalya is manifested in tens of thousands of civilians evacuating from the area since yesterday morning, despite the efforts by Hamas to prevent (them),” the IDF said.
The statement added Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, the agency tasked by Israel with tracking aid, was keeping in touch with the international community on the process “maintain the ongoing functioning of the emergency systems of the hospitals, through the transfer of medical equipment and the supply of fuel subject to the operational situation, along with the evacuation of staff (and) patients.”
The statement from the IDF comes as the United Nations condemns their role in creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
US Secretary General Antony Blinken, who is currently visiting Israel, said it was a positive first step.
“I can report that there’s progress made, which is good, but more progress needs to be made, and most critically, it needs to be sustained,” Mr Blinken told reporters in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Last week a letter from Mr Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin to Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer contained a threat to withhold American military funding to Israel if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not improve.
FOLLOW UPDATES BELOW:
Join the conversation
Imagine if Harris praised Hitler and called veterans ‘losers’
Donald Trump is brushing off stunning allegations that would surely end Kamala Harris’s campaign if they were levelled against her. It begs the question: can anything stop him?
Read more
Shocking moment drunk driver nearly rams Kamala Harris’ car
Stunning footage has emerged showing a ‘drunk driver’ within inches of colliding head-on with the motorcade of Kamala Harris, in a near-miss less than two weeks from the US election.
Read more