While an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 Palestinians have evacuated from Gaza as the IDF’s offensive against Hamas mounts, The Jersualem Post reports that Hamas is making efforts to keep as many people as they can from leaving.
According to the defense source, Hamas wants to keep as many civilians as possible in Gaza City, both to serve directly as human shields from IDF attacks and also to place more diplomatic pressure on Israel to end the war in the event that Palestinian civilians are caught up in the crossfire.
In the senior defense official’s view, Hamas views the deaths of its own population as a strategic asset to play against Israel’s reputation globally.
Hamas tactics to prevent Palestinians from leaving Gaza City have varied from scaring them by (falsely) claiming that conditions in southern Gaza are worse in terms of insufficient tents, food, and medical care, versus physically shooting or beating those Palestinians who do try to flee.
Despite this, the IDF is hopeful that more civilians in the area will evacuate in the coming days. As of now, about 100,000 aid tents have been set up in southern Gaza in preparation for the fleeing Palestinians. It’s estimated that around 200,000 civilians are still in the area.
The Fellowship prays for all those victimized by terror at the hands of horrific groups like Hamas, and that Israel will be able to free Gaza from their control. At the same time, we continue to support and send aid to victims of such war and terror in Israel.
