{"id":289649,"date":"2023-10-13T10:27:05","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T14:27:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=289649"},"modified":"2023-10-16T15:41:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T19:41:15","slug":"why-israel-must-reconsider-its-gaza-evacuation-order-secretary-general-new-york-times","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/why-israel-must-reconsider-its-gaza-evacuation-order-secretary-general-new-york-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Israel Must Reconsider Its Gaza Evacuation Order – UN Secretary-General, New York Times Op-Ed"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
OPINION<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

GUEST ESSAY<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
Oct. 13, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Palestinian<\/div>
Credit…<\/span>Mahmud Hams\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty Images<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

By <\/span>Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Guterres is the secretary general of the United Nations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Thursday night\u2019s order by the Israel Defense Forces to Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate their homes within 24 hours was dangerous and deeply troubling. Any demand for a mass evacuation on extremely short notice could have devastating humanitarian consequences.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

The evacuation order applies to approximately 1.1 million people. It applies to a territory that is already besieged, under aerial bombardment and without fuel, electricity, water and food. It applies to a territory that has suffered critical damage to roads and infrastructure in the past week, making the act of evacuating nearly impossible in the first place. It applies to United Nations staff members and more than 200,000 people sheltering in U.N. facilities, including schools, health centers and clinics. It applies to hundreds of thousands of children: Nearly half of Gaza is under the age of 18.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n