Israel: Netanyahu visits infantrymen, says ‘next stage is coming’ as Gazans flee south

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli infantrymen outside Gaza Strip on Saturday overseeing the preparations before the ground attack. In a short video shared by his office, Israel PM is shown telling the soldiers, "You ready for the next stage? The next stage is coming".

Meanwhile, the six hour window given for the Gazans to flee to the south has ended. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had opened two safe routes for the civilians, who are moving from the north of the Gaza Strip ahead of the attack. The safe routes were one along the coast and one down the centre of the Gaza Strip. 

Reportedly, airstrikes were hitting the 'safe routes' making it unsafe for the civilians to reach a safe place. Thousands fear to leave as bombing continues in Gaza. Leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas Ismail Haniyeh said that their decision is to remain in "our land". Palestinians will not leave Gaza or West Bank and migrate to Egypt, he said.

Palestinian Red Crecent Society said that it had received an order from Israeli forces earlier today with a deadline to evacuate its Al Quds hospital but they could not evacuate safely with many sick and wounded still at the hospital.

According to medical officials around 35,000 people have crammed into the grounds of Gaza City's main hospital seeking refugee.

Mohammad Abu Selim, general director of Shifa Hospital, largest hospital in Gaza Strip, confirmed that massive people had sought refuge in the building.

Will Hezbollah join the war?

Meanwhile, Hezbollah fighters have been on full alert along Lebanon's borders with Israel continuing its missile attacks. The possibility of Hezbollah joining the Hamas in fighting Israel also cannot be avoided.

Israel considers Hezbollah an immediate threat estimating it has around 1,50,000 rockets and missiles that can hit anywhere in Israel.

Warnings has been sounded by the United States considering the possibility of other players in the Middle East joining the conflict.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian called on Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza. He added that Hezbollah has taken all the scenarios of a war into consideration.

Amirabdollahian met with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Fridat and held talks with him over the scenario.

Suffering humanitarian efforts

United Nations under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths in a statement issued on Saturday said that even war has rules and those must be upheld at all times.

"In Gaza, families have been bombed while inching their way south along congested, damaged roads, following an evacuation order that left hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for safety but with nowhere to go," he said.

"Even wars have rules, and these rules must be upheld, at all times, and by all sides...Civilians must be allowed to leave for safer areas," he added.

Meanwhile, the European Commission announced to triple the humanitarian aid for Gaza.

However, the diplomatic efforts are progressing on the other end the Israel-Hamas conflict. Saudi Arabia had called for an urgent meeting of foreign ministers from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Wednesday to discuss the escalating situation in Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has left over 3,000 dead so far.