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The United Nations has said it is “impossible” for Palestinians to move to the south of Gaza in the next 24 hours, after citizens were ordered to evacuate by Israel’s military.

It came as the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency warned Gaza was becoming a “hell hole” and was on the “brink of collapse”.

The evacuation order is the strongest hint yet from Israel that it is preparing to launch a ground offensive on Gaza almost a week after Hamas’s surprise assault.

It also began dropping leaflets written in Arabic into the Gaza Strip urging people in the north of the area to move south across the Wadi Gaza – a piece of coastal wetland with a river running through the middle.

Leaflet
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A leaflet urging civilians in the north of Gaza Strip to evacuate to the south

UN officials in Gaza “were informed by their liaison officers in the Israeli military that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement in New York.

“This amounts to approximately 1.1 million people,” he added, or nearly half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.

Mr Dujarric said the UN “considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences”.

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Warning leaflets drop in Gaza

It came after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said “this evacuation is for your own safety”, but in response, Hamas has called the warning “fake propaganda” and urged Palestinians “not to fall for it”.

The UN has appealed for the order to be rescinded to avoid turning “what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation”.

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A map showing the evacuation zone of northern Gaza down to the Wadi Gaza.
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A map showing the evacuation area of northern Gaza, including Gaza City, down to the Wadi Gaza

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‘This evacuation is for your own safety’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Amman on Friday that he “rejects the forced displacement” of Palestinians in Gaza, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

He said such an event would constitute a “second Nakba” – referring to the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation – adding that humanitarian corridors must be allowed in the blockaded coastal enclave immediately to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) called for an “immediate intervention” from the international community to prevent a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

“We don’t have the means to evacuate the sick and the wounded people in our hospitals or the elderly and the disabled,” a spokesperson for the humanitarian group said.

Palestinians flee their houses heading toward the southern part of Gaza Strip after Israel's call for more than 1 million civilians in northern Gaza to move south within 24 hours, amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza City October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot
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Palestinians flee their homes heading toward the southern part of the Gaza Strip

Palestinians flee their houses heading toward the southern part of Gaza Strip after Israel's call for more than 1 million civilians in northern Gaza to move south within 24 hours, amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza City October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said local health authorities in Gaza had informed its officials it was impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from northern Gaza within 24 hours.

“There are severely ill people whose injuries mean their only chances of survival is being on life support, such as mechanical ventilators,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.

“So moving those people is a death sentence. Asking health workers to do so is beyond cruel.”

In other key developments:
• It’s “highly likely” Britons are among Hamas’s hostages, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps says
• Hamas claimed Israel killed 13 hostages with its strikes on Gaza
• Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law shared a tearful plea from Gaza
• UK navy to send ships and begin surveillance flights over Israel
Several UK Jewish schools close for safety reasons

Israeli tanks head towards the Gaza Strip border. Pic: AP
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Israeli tanks head towards the Gaza Strip border. Pic: AP

IDF fires artillery shells into Gaza as fighting between Israeli troops Hamas continues
Pic:DPA/AP
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The Israel Defence Forces fire artillery shells into Gaza. File pic: DPA/AP

Sunak shows support as number of dead grows

Earlier, Rishi Sunak told Israel’s prime minister to “protect ordinary Palestinians” as it continues its fightback against Hamas.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said Mr Sunak “reiterated that the UK stands side by side with Israel in fighting terror” in his phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu, adding Hamas should “never again be able to perpetrate atrocities against the Israeli people”.

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Smoke billows following Israeli strikes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
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Smoke billows following Israeli strikes in Gaza

Israel said a total of 1,300 of its people have died since Saturday’s raids as its troops continue to mass along the barbed wire fence ahead of a possible ground offensive on Gaza, with 300,000 reservists called up.

The country is targeting Hamas after the militant group carried out a wave of attacks in Israel as gunmen stormed the border and killed hundreds in their homes – as well as 260 others at a music festival.

Meanwhile, at least 500 children and 276 women are among the estimated 1,537 Palestinians who have died with more than 6,000 wounded, the Gaza health ministry has said.

What would the north Gaza evacuation look like if it happened in the UK?

The evacuation of approximately 1.1 million people from the north of Gaza to the south is equivalent to moving the population of Birmingham to the nearby town of Dudley.

It is approximately 10.5 miles (17km) from the northernmost point of the evacuation area, the Erez Crossing from Israel into Gaza, to the bridge over the Wadi Gaza.

It would take an average person around four hours to walk – and that’s without interruption and on the assumption that the route is well-maintained.

But the evacuation of northern Gaza involves moving hundreds of thousands of people through the already compact and densely populated streets of Gaza City.

The area also contains 11 hospitals, three compounds run by the United Nations and two refugee camps. All of them will need to be evacuated within 24 hours.

And there is the additional logistical challenge of navigating streets lined with rubble and burnt-out cars after days of retaliatory air strikes by Israeli forces.

White phosphorous used, human rights group claims

On the ground in Gaza, it has been claimed white phosphorous has been used as a weapon, which can indiscriminately burn people, thermally and chemically.

Human Rights Watch said Israel used the chemical in Gaza and Lebanon, claiming it had verified footage from 10 and 11 October, respectively, showing multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.

It said the weapon’s use “violates the international humanitarian law prohibition on putting civilians at unnecessary risk”.

Asked for comment on the allegations, Israel’s military said it was “currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorous in Gaza”.

Elsewhere on Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered in Tahrir Square in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad to show solidarity with Palestine.

Protesters also took to the streets of Iran – a key backer of Hamas – in support of the Palestinian people.

Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
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A huge crow gathered in Baghdad, Iraq, on Friday to show solidarity with Palestinians

Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

Jordan’s King Abdullah on Friday responded to Israel’s evacuation order, and warned its neighbour against any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians.

In a statement published by the Royal Court, he said there should be no “spillover” of the ongoing crisis into neighbouring countries.

Jordan, which borders Israel to the southeast, maintains peaceful – though often tense – relations with the Israeli government.

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Two dead and a million evacuated as Super Typhoon Fung-wong hits Philippines

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Two dead and a million evacuated as Super Typhoon Fung-wong hits Philippines

Two people have died and more than one million people evacuated after a storm bearing down on the Philippines intensified into a super typhoon and made landfall on Sunday.

Fung-wong started battering eastern and central parts of the country, causing power outages, and forcing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to declare a state of emergency.

One person drowned in Catanduanes and firefighters recovered the body of a woman trapped under the debris of a collapsed home in Catbalogan City, officials said.

A satellite image shows Storm Fung-wong, which has intensified into a super typhoon. Pic: CSU/CIRA & JMA/JAXA/Handout via Reuters
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A satellite image shows Storm Fung-wong, which has intensified into a super typhoon. Pic: CSU/CIRA & JMA/JAXA/Handout via Reuters

A man walks in the rain with an umbrella as Typhoon Fung-wong approaches, in Cauayan, Isabela, Philippines. Pic: Reuters
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A man walks in the rain with an umbrella as Typhoon Fung-wong approaches, in Cauayan, Isabela, Philippines. Pic: Reuters

Evacuations under way in Quezon province. Pic: Philippine Coast Guard via AP
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Evacuations under way in Quezon province. Pic: Philippine Coast Guard via AP

An evacuation centre in Manila. Pic: Reuters
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An evacuation centre in Manila. Pic: Reuters

Packing sustained winds of 115mph and gusts of up to 140mph, Super Typhoon Fung-wong made landfall in Aurora province in central Luzon.

Those living in high-risk villages in northeastern provinces were told to evacuate, including in Bicol, a coastal region vulnerable to Pacific cyclones and mudflows from Mayon, one of the country’s most active volcanoes.

Defence secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr warned Fung-wong could affect a vast expanse of the country, including the capital Manila, and Cebu, the central province hit hardest by the deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi just days ago.

More than 200 people were killed in the earlier typhoon, and around 100 are still missing.

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Filipinos stranded on roofs amid Typhoon floods

Mr Teodoro Jr urged residents to heed evacuation orders, warning refusing to comply was dangerous and unlawful.

“We ask people to pre-emptively evacuate so that we don’t end up having to conduct rescues at the last minute, which could put the lives of police, soldiers, firefighters and coast guard personnel at risk,” he said in a public address.

More than 30 million people could be exposed to hazards posed by Fung-wong, the Office of Civil Defence said.

The projection of the route that will be taken by Super Typhoon Fung-wong by Japan's national weather agency. Pic: JMA
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The projection of the route that will be taken by Super Typhoon Fung-wong by Japan’s national weather agency. Pic: JMA

In Isabela in northern Luzon, dozens of families were sheltering at a basketball court repurposed as an evacuation centre.

“We’re scared,” said Christopher Sanchez, 50, who fled his home with his family. “We’re here with our grandchildren and our kids. The whole family is in the evacuation area.”

Nearly 400 domestic and international flights have been cancelled, according to the civil aviation regulator.

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Deadly tornado tears through southern Brazil

Deadly tornado in Brazil

Meanwhile, a powerful tornado ripped through the southern state of Parana in Brazil – killing at least six and injuring more than 750 people, state officials said on Saturday.

The tornado left a trail of destruction, downing trees, overturning vehicles and damaging buildings.

Roads were also blocked and power lines damaged, with authorities saying around 1,000 people were displaced,

“We will continue to assist the people of Parana and provide all the help needed,” President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on X.

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UK deploying specialist RAF team to defend Belgium from ‘rogue’ drones

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UK deploying specialist RAF team to defend Belgium from 'rogue' drones

The UK is deploying a specialist Royal Air Force team to help defend Belgium’s skies following a series of sightings of “rogue” drones, the defence secretary and his military chief have revealed.

The ground-based unit will be equipped with kit that can track and take down unmanned aerial systems.

It is not yet clear who is responsible for the drone incursions, which forced the country’s main airport near Brussels to close temporarily and have also impacted Belgian military bases.

However, there are suspicions that they could be linked to Russia.

Other NATO nations have also experienced similar problems, including Denmark and Germany.

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Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News, said his Belgian counterpart had called him to request British support.

Queen Camilla looks at counter-drone equipment during a visit to RAF Leeming, Northallerton, in September 2024. Pic: PA
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Queen Camilla looks at counter-drone equipment during a visit to RAF Leeming, Northallerton, in September 2024. Pic: PA

“I had my Belgian opposite number – the chief of the defence staff – in touch with me this week, seeking our help to track and potentially defeat the drones,” he said.

“We agreed with the defence secretary on Friday that we would send our people and our equipment into Belgium to help them with the current problem they have got there.”

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Queen Camilla, who is an honorary air commodore, inspects counter-drone equipment. Pic: PA
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Queen Camilla, who is an honorary air commodore, inspects counter-drone equipment. Pic: PA

John Healey, the defence secretary, said: “When our NATO allies call, we step up. Belgium requested urgent support to counter rogue drone activity at their military bases, so I’ve directed a small team of RAF specialists to deploy immediately.

“As hybrid threats grow, our strength lies in our alliances and our collective resolve to defend, deter and protect our critical infrastructure and airspace.”

The RAF team is trained and equipped to combat drones.

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Three dead and 15 injured in Tenerife tidal surge

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Three dead and 15 injured in Tenerife tidal surge

Three people have died after they were swept into the sea off the coast of Tenerife during treacherous weather, officials said on Sunday.

Strong waves pulled them into the Atlantic Ocean during a tidal surge on Saturday.

A man who had fallen into the water at Charco del Viento, a rocky beauty spot in the north of the island not far from Icod de los Vinos, was airlifted to hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival, Spanish media reported.

In a separate incident, a man was found floating off Cabezo beach in El Medano in the south of the island.

Lifeguards and paramedics were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman suffered a heart attack and died when a wave swept several people into the sea at Puerto de la Cruz in northern Tenerife. Three people were seriously injured and taken to hospital for treatment.

The victim was a 79-year-old Dutch woman, according to El Dia.

The Spanish newspaper reported the deceased at Charco del Viento was a 43-year-old man from La Orotava, a town in northern Tenerife, while the identity of the man who died at Cabezo beach had not been released.

Around 15 people were injured in four different incidents along the coast of the island of Tenerife on Saturday, according to emergency services.

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Authorities had warned people of a tidal surge and strong winds, advising them not to walk along coastal paths and avoid putting themselves at risk by taking photos and videos of the rough seas.

The Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the west coast of Africa that includes Tenerife, are on alert for coastal hazards, officials said.

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