Israel continues its preparations to carry out a ground invasion in Gaza after extending the deadline it granted the Palestinians to evacuate the area. Meanwhile, the Israeli army confirmed that it was awaiting a "political decision" regarding the timing of the major attack on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army ordered the immediate evacuation of civilians from an area near the border with Lebanon after a person was killed as a result of a missile strike on one of the border towns, following an exchange of bombing with Hezbollah.

Two Israeli army spokesmen said that the army is awaiting a "political decision" regarding the timing of the major ground attack on the Gaza Strip, while thousands of residents of the northern Strip are trying to flee.

In preparation for a ground attack, the army had called on Friday civilians in the northern Gaza Strip - that is, 1.1 million of the 2.4 million people who are the population of the Gaza Strip - to move towards the south, and urged them not to delay.

Speakers Richard Hecht and Daniel Hagary said in two press briefings that the “political decision” will determine the timing of any military action.