Israel's military informed the United Nations late on Thursday that the 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the enclave's south within the next 24 hours, a U.N. spokesman said, APA reports citing Reuters.
"The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation," he said.
Dujarric said the order by the Israeli military also applied to all U.N. staff and those sheltered in U.N. facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics.