CAIRO: Israeli air and ground attacks on Gaza have killed at least 79 Palestinians in the past a couple of days.
Authorities say around 200,000 people remain in Gaza City despite evacuation orders. Civil defense officials report that about 12 percent of the area is still outside Israeli military control.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces ordered families in the Abu Safiya area of Tulkarm to leave their homes. Raids were also carried out in the towns of Anabta and al-Ras, where four young men were arrested.
Arab media said hundreds of families have fled towards the coast to escape bombardments. Israeli officials claim their operations will push up to one million Palestinians further south, and that 70,000 residents have already left northern Gaza.
They said a so-called “humanitarian zone” will soon be declared, stretching from central refugee camps to the al-Mawasi coastal area.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s port has effectively turned into a refugee camp, with displaced families facing severe shortages of food, water and shelter.
On the diplomatic front, the United States has warned of “serious consequences” for countries that recognize Palestine as a state. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said such nations “will face problems.”
The warning comes after the UK recognized Palestine, with France, Canada, Australia and Belgium expected to follow in September.
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