Turkey's Erdogan slams Israel’s ‘unacceptable’ evacuation ultimatum

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the Israeli regime for forcing more than one million Palestinians to leave south of the Gaza Strip, as it has been shelling the besieged region for several days.

The regime's military called for "all residents of Gaza City to evacuate their homes" and "move south for their protection" early Friday morning.

The military said it issued the ultimatum because it plans to "operate significantly in Gaza City in the coming days," claiming that it wanted "to avoid harming civilians."

The Turkish leader said later in the day, "To force the population of Gaza to migrate in 24 hours is unacceptable.”

He has already condemned Israel’s blockade and bombing of the besieged strip, calling it a “massacre.”

Erdogan said on Wednesday that even war had a “morality” but the flare-up since the weekend had “very severely” violated that.

Israel started its brutal aggression against Gaza on Saturday after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched multi-pronged Operation al-Aqsa Storm in response to the desecration of al-Aqsa Mosque and increased violence against Palestinians by the Israeli occupiers.

On Friday, thousands of Palestinians fled to southern Gaza, AFP reported. It said people had to leave north of  Gaza in cars, motorbikes, trucks and even by foot.

Israel gives Gazans 24 hours to relocate south; Hamas calls it 'fake propaganda'

The Israeli regime has ordered the entire residents of Gaza City to evacuate the area within 24 hours, in what is viewed as a precursor of a ground invasion.

The World Health Organization (WHO) condemned the evacuation order as a "death sentence" for vulnerable hospital patients.

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic warned on Thursday that health authorities in Gaza have advised that it is impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients 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.”

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

The United Nations has also warned that the relocation of so many people could have devastating consequences.

Hamas asked the residents to ignore Israel’s evacuation order, describing it as “fake propaganda.”

'War crime'

The Arab League has also urged the United Nations to prevent the evacuation, slamming it as a "war crime."

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmad Aboul Gheit described the Israeli move as "a war crime that Israel plans to commit as part of its shameful bloody campaign against the Gaza Strip."

The Israeli demand blatantly violates the Fourth Geneva Convention that prohibits the forced population movement, he said, noting that the plan would "lead to unlimited suffering for our Palestinian brothers in Gaza."

Rising death toll in Gaza 

The death toll from Israel’s savage attacks on the Gaza Strip continues to rise. According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 1,799 Palestinians, including 583 children, and 351 women have been killed in six days of incessant Israeli bombardment of the densely populated Palestinian territory.

The regime has also imposed a 'total siege" on the Gaza Strip, severing all power and water supplies and blocking food and fuel. Palestinian medics warned the blockade will be “catastrophic” for the civilian population.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk