Israeli forces stepped up bombardment across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and ordered more evacuations, creating a fresh wave of displacement from northern Gaza where Palestinians fear they will not be able to return.
As Israeli tanks advanced in Beit Lahiya a month into a new push on northern Gaza, dozens of families streamed out, arriving at schools and other shelters housing displaced people in Gaza City with whatever belongings and food they could bring.
Drones hovered overhead broadcasting evacuation orders, which were also carried on social media outlets, audio and text messages sent to residents' phones, a displaced man said.
"After they displaced most or all of the people in Jabalia, now they are bombing everywhere, killing people on the roads and inside their houses to force everyone out," the man told Reuters via a chat app, giving only one name, Ahmed, for fear of repercussions.
Palestinian officials say Israel is carrying out a plan of "ethnic cleansing" and they and residents say no aid has entered Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun since the raid began on Oct 5.
The Israeli military says it was forced to evacuate Jabalia and start evacuating nearby Beit Lahiya on Wednesday so it can take on Hamas militants it says have regrouped there.
It denied press reports that people evacuated from northern Gaza would not be allowed to return and said it was continuing to allow aid into northern Gaza and the Jabalia area, where it said it was engaged in "intense combat".
"The statement attributed to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) in the past 24 hours, claiming that residents of northern Gaza will not be allowed to return to their homes, is incorrect and does not reflect the IDF’s objectives and values," it said.