Israeli military strikes have killed at least 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as forces continue their offensive in the north. Residents and displaced families have been ordered to head south, with some estimating that a few thousand people remain in the area. Palestinians claim that Israel is clearing the area for use as a buffer zone and potentially for a return of Jewish settlers. The Israeli military denies these claims and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he does not want to reverse the 2005 withdrawal of settlers from Gaza. The United States has warned against forcible displacement and starvation policies in Gaza.