Israel evacuates Sderot ahead of imminent invasion of Gaza Strip

MADRID, 15 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Israeli authorities have reported that they will begin in a matter of hours the evacuation of the city of Sderot, the most important city located in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip, with a view to the start of a large-scale ground military operation in the Palestinian enclave.

The Sderot City Council has stressed that this is a voluntary evacuation, not mandatory, but recommended to avoid risks for the population, reports the newspaper 'The Times of Israel'.

The inhabitants of Sderot are being transferred to Eilat and Jerusalem, where they are accommodated in hotels, and there is also the possibility of being transferred to Tel Aviv. The Government is the one who covers these expenses.

The deputy mayor of Sderot, Elad Kalimi, recalled that the city has been hit by 75 projectiles since the beginning of the Hamas attack and noted that approximately two-thirds of the 30,000 registered inhabitants have already left the town.

The rest could be evacuated this Sunday, although it is estimated that 10 percent could stay for different reasons, some due to the impossibility of moving and others for ideological reasons.

"There are many people who feel like me, who say they are not leaving their house. Enough is enough," said Ayelet Shmuel, a resident of Sderot, quoted by 'The Times of Israel'. "Besides, where would we go? To Tel Aviv? They also go there," she argued.

In the last week, several towns near the Gaza Strip that were attacked by the militias of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7 have been evacuated.

Entre ellas están Nahal Oz, Erez, Nir Am, Mefalsim, Kfar Aza, Gevim, Or Haner, Ibim, Netiv Ha'asara, Yad Mordechai, Karmia, Zikim, Kerem Shalom, Kissufim, Holit, Sufa, Nirim, Nir Oz, Ein Hashlosha, Nir Yitzhak, Beeri, Magen, Reim, Saad, Metula y Alumim.