Israel requests that Gaza’s hospitals and schools be evacuated ahead of strike.

A major hospital and five schools in the Gaza Strip were ordered to be evacuated by humanitarian groups on Friday in anticipation of a possible strike by Israel, according to aid agencies.

Since Hamas launched its largest-ever attacks on Israel on October 7, the northern part of Gaza, which is home to the Al-Quds Hospital, has been the target of Israeli air strikes.

As reported by AFP, the Palestine Red Crescent made a “urgent appeal,” claiming to have “received a threat from the occupying authorities to bombard Al-Quds Hospital.”

The group said that 12,000 displaced individuals who had sought “safe haven” and over 400 patients would be impacted by the hospital’s evacuation, which was “demanded” by the Israeli threat.

The statement went on, “We demand that the international community act immediately and urgently to prevent another massacre like the one that took place at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.”

Hundreds of people were murdered in a missile attack on the Al-Ahli hospital, according to Hamas officials in Gaza. Israel pointed the finger to militants inside Gaza who misdirected their fire, while Hamas blamed Israeli jets.

In concurrently, Israel instructed the UN agency for Palestinian refugees to evacuate five schools “as fast as possible.”

In Gaza City, near the hospital, are all the schools.

A UNRWA statement said, “We did everything we could to oppose and reject this decision, but this means that these institutions are no longer secure. Thousands of people in and around the hospitals are being urged to evacuate.