Israel preparing to relocate Palestinians

Israel announced Saturday that it is preparing to move Palestinians from combat zones to southern Gaza as plans move ahead for a military offensive in some of the territory's most populated areas.

- By NaTaLiz MELZER

ABED RAHIM KHATIB Anadolu via Getty Images PALESTINIAN children carry clean water from a mosque back to their tents.

The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, said the supply oftents and other shelter equipment to the territory would resume on Sunday ahead of the mass movement of Palestinians to the south. The military said it had no comment on when that movement would begin.

Meanwhile, anxious families of Israeli hostages called for a “nationwide day of stoppage” in Israel planned Sunday to express growing frustration over 22 months of war.

Families of hostages fear the coming offensive further endangers the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, just 20 of them thought to still be alive. They and other Israelis were horrified by the recent release of videos showing emaciated hostages speaking under duress and pleading for help and food.

The families and supporters have pressed the government for a deal to stop the war — a call that some former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs have also made in recent weeks.