What’s the latest news in Gaza?
Thousands of Palestinians fled the north of the Gaza Strip on Saturday from the path of an expected Israeli ground assault, while Israel pounded the area with more airstrikes and said it would keep two roads open to let people escape.
Israel had given the entire population of the northern half of the Gaza Strip, which includes the enclave’s biggest settlement Gaza City, until Saturday morning local time to move south. It announced overnight that it would guarantee the safety of Palestinians fleeing the area on two main roads until 4pm local time.
“Around the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers in formation (are) getting ready for the next stage of operations,” Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told a video briefing early on Saturday.
Over 200 Australians and their families were on board the first Australian government-assisted departure flight, which landed in London earlier this morning. Credit: Douglas Ferguson / DFAT
Qantas, which operated the first flight, said in a statement it had been running constant safety assessments for its planned flights to Tel Aviv.
It added: “Based on latest assessments, the difficult decision has been made not to operate the second flight to Tel Aviv on Sunday due to continued deterioration of conditions on the ground in Israel for safety reasons.”
Israel has vowed to annihilate the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza in retaliation for a rampage by the group’s fighters, who stormed through Israeli towns a week ago, killed 1,300 people, mainly civilians, and seized scores of hostages.
