News - UN: Over 423,000 people left Gaza even before Israel's evacuation order

The United Nations says more than 423,000 people have already fled their homes in Gaza, even before Israel's directive on Friday to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip, AFP reports. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) notified the United Nations at midnight that the entire Palestinian population north of Wadi Gaza must relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours. The report indicates that the IDF may be preparing to launch a ground invasion after a week of aerial bombardment in response to a massive Hamas attack last Saturday.