Number of Israelis forced to flee their homes due to war with Hamas in the south, ongoing attacks from Hezbollah in the north soars to half a million.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News- with TJV additional reporting

Nearly half a million Israelis have been forced to abandon their homes as a result of the ongoing war with Hamas in southern Israel, and attacks by Hezbollah terrorists in northern Israel, an IDF spokesperson said.

Speaking with reporters during a news briefing Tuesday morning, IDF spokesman Lt.-Col. (res.) Jonathan Conricus said that roughly half a million Israelis have been displaced following the Gaza invasion of Israel on October 7th, and the Hezbollah missile attacks and terrorist infiltrations from Lebanon.

“There are about half a million internally displaced Israelis at the time,” Conricus said.

The figure constitutes more than 5% of Israel’s estimated 9.7 million residents.

While 20 Israeli towns near the Gaza frontier have been evacuated by the army, and 20 more on the northern border also ordered to evacuate, thousands of Israelis living elsewhere have self-evacuated, Conricus said.

Note:

IDF has initiated a plan to evacuate all civilians who live within two kilometers of the Lebanese border. They said the repeat rocket and mortar fire make it necessary, also in preparation for potential greater military action. 

The country’s National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) will oversee transferring of Israeli civilians to state-funded guesthouses. In total a whopping 28 towns and communities will be evacuated.

NEMA has listed them out as follows: Ghajar, Dishon, Kfar Yuval, Margaliot, Metula, Avivim, Dovev, Ma’ayan Baruch, Bar’am, Manara, Yiftah, Malkia, Misgav Am, Yir’on, Dafna, Arab al-Aramshe, Shlomi, Netu’a, Ya’ara, Shtula, Matat, Zar’it, Shomera, Betzet, Adamit, Rosh Hanikra, Hanita and Kfar Giladi.

Many residents “evacuated on their own merit and at their own initiative,” Conricus said.

“All of the communities around the Gaza Strip have been evacuated as per government directives.”

“We don’t want civilians near the combat zone,” Conricus continued. “We want to protect civilians, first and foremost ours, against the horrible effects of war.”

Three Israelis were wounded in a Hezbollah missile attack in northern Israel Tuesday morning, a day after one was killed and several more injured in a similar incident.

Zero Hedge blog points out:

There’s growing speculation that the IDF hasn’t launched a ground invasion yet due to threats being made by Iran and its ally Lebanese Hezbollah. And it’s not just enemies of Israel that are saying this, but The Jerusalem Post reports Monday that a prime reason for the offensive being stalled is the fear Hezbollah will get involved.

However, the IDF Northern Command has been tasked with ensuring complete readiness of defenses on the Lebanese border in case Hezbollah does get involved. The JPost writes:

A number of factors seem to have caused a delay, but sources have told The Jerusalem Post that one factor has been a growing concern that Hezbollah is waiting for the moment that most IDF ground forces are committed to Gaza to open a full front with the IDF in the north

The attacks have spurred the IDF to accelerate the evacuation of residents living in towns along the northern border.

More than 1,400 Israelis were killed in the October 7th invasion of southern Israel and the subsequent attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah.

Some 4,200 Israelis have been injured, and at least 199 abducted to Gaza.

Hamas claims to be holding some 250 Israelis hostage in the coastal enclave.

Hundreds of American citizens living in Israel were evacuated by ship Monday morning, in an operation orchestrated by the U.S. embassy in Israel.

The evacuees were taken to Cyprus, and from there were responsible for their own transportation back to the United States.