In a dramatic turn of events, a significant migration unfolded in the northern region of Gaza during a four-hour moratorium declared by Israel. The call for residents to evacuate came with a stark warning that failure to do so would put them at risk in the heavily bombed area. According to reports from foreign news agencies, this relocation occurred amidst a backdrop of escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas.

Israeli forces claim to have surrounded the city of Abghaz, asserting that they have reached the center of the city. However, conflicting reports from Hamas suggest that their fighters inflicted heavy losses on Israeli soldiers.

Hamas has accused UNRWA of complicity in what they term as ‘forced relocation’. Salamah Maarouf, head of Hamas’ media bureau, squarely placed the blame on UNRWA and its officials for the destruction of lives in Gaza and the north. The UN, in turn, has labeled this mass migration as a humanitarian crisis, as a substantial number of Gaza’s 2.3 million population seek refuge in hospitals, schools, and other locations in the south.

The UN Liaison Office for Humanitarian Affairs reported a significant exodus, stating that approximately 15,000 people left the northern part on Tuesday, with 5,000 departing on Monday and 2,000 on Sunday. Israel’s evacuation orders even extended to patients in all 13 hospitals still operating in northern Gaza, as confirmed by the UN agency.

In the midst of this crisis, the health department in Gaza managed by Hamas within the confined area released grim statistics, claiming that more than 10,500 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli military operations, with a staggering 40 percent being children. These figures intensify the gravity of an already dire situation.

The World Organization for Health added another layer of distress, highlighting that, on average, 160 children succumb to tuberculosis daily. As the international community watches with growing concern, the fate of those caught in the crossfire hangs in the balance, prompting urgent calls for a peaceful resolution to this deeply entrenched conflict.

Pakistan is currently busy in deporting the undocumented Afghan civilians who took shelter in Pakistan, especially after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. This has caused chaos across Pakistan as almost 2,70,000 people have been deported which includes members from Hazara community living in Pakistan since decades. Thus, the expelling of this community has aroused unrest in the community. Chairman of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimin Pakistan, Raja Nazpur Abbas Jafari, in his condemnatory statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), has said that the attempt to expel the Pakistani Hazara community from the country in the wake of the release of Afghan migrants is a new crisis in the country. He said that the community has settled here for many generations.

He said, “To include our own citizens in the list of migrants is to give rise to ethnic, linguistic and professional prejudices.” Jafari further emphasised, “Some unknown forces are knowingly engaged in creating a crisis-like quality in the country. Those in power should take care of themselves and the Pakistani Hazara community should be protected.”

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, has given this statement after the recent remarks of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar, in which he said that the increase in terrorist incidents in Pakistan after some Afghan leaders’ unnecessary, irresponsible, misleading, and threatening statements is significantly meaningful. In his statement, the Taliban’s representative, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that the Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to use Afghanistan’s land against Pakistan unnecessarily. However, the Islamic Emirate is not responsible for the security situation within Pakistan. They should resolve their domestic issues and not blame Afghanistan for their failures.

Zabihullah Mujahid mentioned that even if there is an increase in insecurity in Pakistan, it cannot be used as evidence that many Afghans in Pakistan are victims of insecurity.He stated that in Afghanistan, weapons have been secured, nothing has been lost, smuggling of weapons has been banned, and all kinds of illegal activities have been stopped.

He further said that Afghanistan is like a brother and neighboring country with Pakistan, and the Pakistani leadership should understand the good intentions of the Islamic Emirate. There should be no interference in the internal affairs of other countries by the Islamic Emirate.

Statement of Pakistan’s Prime Minister

Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar stated that after some Afghan leaders’ unnecessary, irresponsible, misleading, and threatening statements, there is a significant increase in terrorist incidents in Pakistan. He gave this unusually strong statement about the Taliban government in Afghanistan during a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday. After the decision to send back Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan, some Taliban leaders, including their Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, and Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob, expressed strong reactions in their statements, and this statement also came to light that Pakistan may have to bear the consequences of this decision.

“In this regard, some Afghan leaders’ unnecessary, irresponsible, misleading, and threatening statements are regrettable”, he said. He further clarified that ‘Pakistan has the full legal and moral right to send illegal immigrants back to their home country. The increase in terrorist incidents in the country after some Afghan leaders’ statements is not only meaningful but also confirms Pakistan’s apprehensions.’

Increasing animosity with Taliban

Kakkar also said that ‘Afghan leaders’ statements immediately after the decision to send back refugees indicate not only unusual speed but also confirms Pakistan’s concerns. He added, ‘Afghan interim government leaders should realize that Afghanistan and Pakistan are two sovereign countries, and their mutual relations need to be officially established. The relations between the two countries should be conducted as is done between other sovereign countries around the world.’

The increasing pace of the reaction to this decision confirms that the Islamic Emirate government of Afghanistan has not accepted the decision. They should understand that the relations between the two countries should be conducted as is done between other sovereign countries around the world,’ the Prime Minister stated.’The extraordinary speed of the Afghan government’s reaction to this decision also confirms that it has not accepted this decision. If there is a counter-reaction to any government decision, it should be through official channels, and any further reaction should be officially informed to the government through the relevant channels,’ he emphasized.

Expressing anger at the police and other officials for not recovering the missing persons, the Sindh High Court summoned the head of the provincial task force and the JIT.

The petition for the recovery of missing persons was heard in the Sindh High Court.

Justice Amjad Ali Sahto asked ‘why were they harassing the families of missing persons by calling them, tell them who took them and we cannot do anything, we too are tired of writing’.

He said that the elder citizen has been searching for his son for the last five years, if the missing citizen has passed away then they should show the body and tell the truth.

The father of the missing youth told the court that his son had gone missing from the Sharif Abad police station area 5 years ago, he is ill and has been making rounds of the courts for the last 5 years.

The court also sought a report from the Provincial Secretary Home while it sought the head of the Provincial Task Force and JIT.

Notably, several people across occupied-Sindh have been abducted and gone missing on the directives of Pakistan Army. Since, the commands come directly from the Army, no appeal or protest yield positive responses. And hence the families of victims reached out to the court.Whether the court proceedings will yield postive result or not, is a debatable issue, one thing is clear that the cases of missing persons are serious and the courts strict comments shows it’s gravity.