Israeli PM Netanyahu Warns Palestinians to Leave Gaza

On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israeli Army will use "all its power" to destroy Hamas and urged Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip.

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"The Israel Defense Forces are about to use all their power to destroy Hamas' capabilities," he said during the second televised speech broadcast since Hamas began resistance operations against Israel and its occupation forces.

"We will destroy them and forcefully avenge this dark day that they have imposed on the State of Israel and its citizens," the right-wing politician threatened.

"I say to the residents of Gaza: leave now because we will act forcefully. All the places where Hamas is deployed, hiding and operating, we will turn into islands of rubble."

Netanyahu's statements, however, were criticized by human rights defenders because they do not reflect the reality of what is happening in the area.

In practice, Gazans have no possibility of leaving the enclave since the strip is blocked by Egypt and Israel. In fact, very few Palestinians obtain permits to leave Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant decided to extend the emergency situation to the entire country and not just in an 80-kilometer radius of the Gaza Strip, as he had previously done.