World concern over Israel's Gaza evacuation order

PARIS, France — Israel's ultimatum to more than a million Gazans giving them 24 hours to evacuate to the south of the coastal enclave was condemned Friday by countries and organizations around the world.

The United Nations said it had been informed of the order shortly before midnight but as thousands of people streamed southwards in cars and on foot, the Israeli army admitted that the evacuation would "take time".

Herewith the main reactions so far:

US President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly given staunch support for Israel, said that addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was a "priority."

"We can't lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians had nothing to do with Hamas and Hamas's appalling attacks, and they're suffering as a result as well," Biden said during a speech in Philadelphia.

Earlier the White House said the evacuation demand was a "tall order".

"It's already a combat zone. So I don't think anybody's underestimating the challenge here of effecting that evacuation," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was working with Israel "on the need to establish some safe areas where civilians could relocate, be safe from Israel's legitimate security operations," a US official said.

UN chief Antonio Guterres appealed for the protection of basic human rights and stressed that "even wars have rules", ahead of a Security Council meeting on the volatile situation.

He said the situation in Gaza had reached "a dangerous new low" and called for immediate humanitarian access through Gaza to get "fuel, food and water to everyone in need."

He said the blockaded enclave's health system was on the brink of collapse.

The UN described such a population transfer in so short a timescale as "impossible" and urged Israel to rescind the order.  It announced it was relocating its agency for Palestinian refugees and foreign staff to southern Gaza. 

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Gazans had "nowhere safe to go" and it was "impossible" for them to know which areas "will next face attack".

With a military siege in place, humanitarian organisations "will not be able to assist such a