Satellite images from Maxar Technologies reveal a large crowd of Palestinians attempting to flee southern Gaza, amidst orders from Israeli forces to evacuate the area. The images show a crowd gathered along the Salah al Deen Road in southern Gaza as they try to escape through an evacuation corridor.
The exact size of the crowd is uncertain, but it is believed to include thousands of people. Reports from The Guardian indicate that hundreds of individuals were waiting to pass through the checkpoint. The situation in the south has become increasingly dire, with most of the territory’s 2.3 million residents now crammed into the area.
A lack of fuel has caused a blackout in phone and internet services across the entire Gaza Strip, further exacerbating the crisis. The United Nations’ World Food Program has warned that residents are running out of food and water, and are now “on the brink of starvation.”
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed and an additional 2,700 are reported missing, according to Palestinian health authorities. In Israel, more than 1,200 people have been killed as a result of attacks by Hamas militants.
The situation in southern Gaza reflects the immense suffering and devastation experienced by both Palestinian and Israeli civilians as the conflict continues.