GAZA (dpa-AFX) – The Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip has described the Israeli army’s call to evacuate the northern coastal area as “propaganda”. Civilians should not fall for the “propaganda news,” the ruling Palestinian organization in the Gaza Strip said on Friday. Israel, the USA and the EU have classified Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Security sources in the Gaza Strip said that residents should be prevented from leaving the north. Eyewitnesses in the Gaza Strip reported that several residents had already been stopped by Hamas and ordered to return to the north. In general there is great panic in the area and there are no clear instructions.
Israel’s army had previously called on civilians from the coastal strip in Arabic to leave the north for the south. According to the UN, more than a million people are affected. Observers assume that an Israeli ground offensive in the coastal strip could be imminent./stz/DP/ngu