LONDON, Saturday, October 14, 2023 (WAFA) - The Israeli occupation army’s order to people in northern Gaza and Gaza City to “evacuate” to the south of the Gaza Strip amounts to forced displacement of the civilian population, a violation of international humanitarian law, Amnesty International has warned.

The initial unfair Israeli announcement gave people 24 hours to leave northern Gaza “for their safety and protection” – an impossible demand that even the Israeli army spokesperson has admitted cannot be implemented in one day. Regardless of timeframe, said Amnesty, Israel cannot treat northern Gaza as an open-fire zone based on having issued this order. 

"With this order, Israeli forces are setting in motion the mass forced displacement of more than 1.1 million people from Gaza city and the entire northern part of the Gaza Strip," said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

He stressed, "It has sowed panic among the population and left thousands of internally displaced Palestinians now sleeping on the streets, not knowing where to flee to or where they can find safety amid a relentless bombing campaign by Israel and merciless collective punishment measures. This order must be rescinded immediately."

"Israel’s allies and donor states must urgently call for international humanitarian law to be respected and civilians to be protected. Civilians in Gaza must not be used as political pawns and their lives cannot be devalued," added Callamard. 

Callamard urged the international community to refrain from further legitimizing Israel’s 16-year long illegal blockade and immediately halt the transfer of arms that could be used to commit unlawful attacks.

M.N