Attacks on Palestinians evacuating Gaza City

On 13 October 2023, multiple attacks during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war hit Palestinians attempting to leave northern Gaza City and killing 70 people, mostly women and children. This took place after an evacuation directive from Israel, urging more than a million residents from northern Gaza to move to the southern part of the territory.[4]

Attacks on Palestinians evacuating Gaza City
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
LocationGaza Strip
Date13 October 2023 – present
Attack type
Disputed (Airstrike; possible IED)[1][2]
Deaths70+ civilians killed[1]
Injured200+[1]
VictimsGaza Palestinians
Perpetrators

Background

Tensions escalated when Hamas, the group in control of Gaza, launched an attack on Israel. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes on Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a warning to residents in the northern regions to evacuate by a specific deadline. However, the United Nations considered this evacuation order impractical to execute safely due to the significant number of people it affected.[3]

Attacks

The attacks came at a time when Israel ordered the entire population of northern Gaza to move south, forcing more than one million people to flee their homes. Following the order, attacks on evacuation convoys heading south to Gaza killed 70 people mostly women and children.[1][5][6] While airstrikes persisted in the south, Palestinians initiated evacuations from northern Gaza. As they tried to escape, attacks targeted their convoys. According to Hamas officials' reports, these attacks led to the loss of lives primarily women and children.[7][8][9]

According to the Hamas media office, these airstrikes were carried out on vehicles leaving Gaza City. These cars were targeted at three points.[10]

Responsibility

Although there are disputes about the exact details of the attacks, a number of sources attribute responsibility to an Israeli missile strike.[1][2][11] When analysing video footage of the event, the Financial Times reported that it "appears to rule out most explanations aside from an Israeli strike."[2] British Army major and munitions expert Chris Cobb-Smith stated that a missile was the most likely cause of the explosions seen in the videos. Another munitions expert, Desmond Travers, considered an Israeli attack to be the most plausible explanation, although he did not rule out other possible explanations.[2]

Other sources, including the BBC, reported the event without suggesting the responsible party,[12] and some sources pointed to the absence of airstrike signatures in photographed material, suggesting roadside bombings.[13] Israel directly accused Hamas of blocking Palestinian evacuation, in order to use them as "human shields".[13]

Responses

The official Palestinian news agency (Wafa) described the attack as "a new massacre".[14]

The Palestine Red Crescent Society, a medical organization, said: "We have not left and will not leave,” It added: “Our medics will carry on their humanitarian duties. We won’t leave people to face death alone.”[15]

See also

Reference
  1. "Israel-Hamas war live updates: 70 killed after convoys of evacuees in Gaza hit by Israeli airstrikes". NBC News. 14 October 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  2. Srivastava, Mehul; Joiner, Sam; Andringa, Peter (15 October 2023). "Did Israel bomb a civilian evacuation route in Gaza?". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. Graham-Harrison, Emma; McKernan, Bethan; Michaelson, Ruth; Kierszenbaum, Quique (October 14, 2023). "Israeli airstrikes hit northern Gaza as Palestinians try to leave". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  4. "Dozens killed while fleeing Gaza homes as Israel conducts ground raids". Al Jazeera. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023.
  5. "Dozens killed while fleeing Gaza homes as Israel conducts ground raids". Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  6. DeBre, Isabel; Lederer, Edith M.; Shurafa, Wafaa (13 October 2023). "Airstrikes hit Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza after Israel orders 1 million to evacuate". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  7. "Dozens killed while fleeing Gaza homes as Israel conducts ground raids". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  8. "Thousands flee Gaza after Israel orders mass evacuation". The Straits Times. October 14, 2023. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  9. Siddiqui, Usaid; Stepansky, Joseph; Marsi, Federica; Hatuqa, Dalia (2023-10-13). "Iran warns Israel to halt 'war crimes' in Gaza before 'it's too late'". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  10. During Israeli ground attacks, dozens of people were killed while fleeing their homes in Gaza Archived 2023-10-14 at the Wayback Machine aljazeera.com Retrieved 15 October 2023
  11. "Scores killed in Israeli air strikes on families fleeing northern Gaza". Middle East Eye. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  12. "Deadly strike on convoy fleeing northern Gaza". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  13. "One million Gazans displaced as Israel readies for ground attack". France 24. 15 October 2023. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  14. Israel bombed the convoy of Gaza refugees Archived 2023-10-16 at the Wayback MachineRetrieved 15 October 2023
  15. Dozens killed while fleeing Gaza homes as Israel conducts ground raids Archived 2023-10-14 at the Wayback Machine aljazeera.com Retrieved 15 October 2023
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