By Becky Usman
On Thursday, Palestinian residents in the city of Beit Lahiya, located in the northern region of the Gaza Strip, reported that Israeli planes dropped flyers instructing them to evacuate their homes and seek refuge in “known shelters.”
The flyers cautioned that individuals near Hamas militants were putting their lives at risk and emphasized that adhering to the instructions provided by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would help them avoid danger.
It’s worth noting that the area had already been heavily impacted by strikes before the distribution of these flyers. Unfortunately, shelters in the Gaza Strip do not guarantee safety from airstrikes, as the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has reported that ten of its shelters have been hit since the beginning of the operation.
Palestinians living in the battered Gaza Strip have voiced concerns about the lack of advance warning from the military before their homes are targeted. In some cases, they receive warnings, but the time provided for evacuation is insufficient. Israeli defense officials have maintained that they make efforts to issue warnings before conducting strikes.