Milan, August 21 (LaPresse) – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) state they have begun issuing "initial warnings" to medical authorities and international organizations in northern Gaza, ahead of a planned offensive in Gaza City. Officials from COGAT's Coordination and Liaison Administration in Gaza have told medical personnel and NGOs in the northern part of the enclave to “prepare for the relocation of the population to the southern Gaza Strip,” reports The Times of Israel.
"I’m talking to you about the possibility that the army will enter Gaza City. There will be a full evacuation from Gaza to the southern Strip," a COGAT officer is heard saying in a phone call with a health official in Gaza, according to an IDF-provided transcript. “It is important for us that you receive this information from an official source. We will provide a place for you to stay, whether a field hospital or any other medical facility.”
The IDF says officers stressed to medical officials that "hospital infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip is being adapted to accommodate the sick and wounded, along with an increased flow of medical supplies as requested by international humanitarian organizations."