BTN News: The Israeli army has ordered the evacuation of a heavily populated area in the Gaza Strip, which had previously been designated as a humanitarian zone. This order is part of a planned military operation against Hamas militants in the region. The announcement has led to another wave of Palestinian displacement, adding to the already significant number of people seeking refuge over recent weeks. This latest development highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the intense conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Thousands of Palestinians, many with backpacks and children in tow, were seen walking along dusty roads under the scorching sun. Dilapidated cars, piled high with personal belongings, maneuvered through the rubble left by previous Israeli attacks. Many of these Palestinians have been displaced multiple times, seeking safety amid relentless air and ground assaults by Israeli forces.
Kholoud Al Dadas, a Palestinian mother, expressed her frustration and despair as she clutched her children. “We don’t know where we are going,” she said. “This is the seventh or eighth time we’ve been displaced. They started shooting and bombing us while we were sleeping in our homes.” Shortly after speaking, she collapsed from exhaustion.
The new evacuation order reduces the “humanitarian zone” by 10 square kilometers, leaving it at 50 square kilometers from the initial 60 square kilometers. This zone, where Israel had previously advised Palestinians to seek safety from its offensives, now encompasses even less space, reflecting the shrinking area available for civilians.
The area covered by the evacuation order includes parts of the southern city of Khan Younis. This city has been a refuge for many since early May when people fled Israeli attacks in Rafah, further south. The exact number of people currently in the evacuation zone is unknown, according to UN officials.
On Monday, a series of Israeli airstrikes hit areas around Khan Younis, killing at least 70 people, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, which cited figures from Nasser Hospital. Footage from The Associated Press showed a cloud of smoke rising over the city following an explosion. Another airstrike occurred near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, killing one person and injuring three others. Many people were living in tents on the streets outside the hospital.
The Israeli military stated that the operation aims to target Hamas militants who have infiltrated the humanitarian zone and are using it to launch missiles into Israel. Initially declared at the start of the war, the humanitarian zone was centered on Muwasi, a largely rural coastal region. In November, the army indicated it would conduct precision strikes against individual Hamas leaders in this area, describing it as “not a safe zone, but safer than anywhere else” in Gaza. In May, the zone was expanded to accommodate those fleeing Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population had been concentrated.
This month, Israel estimated that at least 1.8 million Palestinians were in the expanded zone, nearly the entire pre-war population of Gaza, which stood at 2.3 million.
Despite its designation, the humanitarian zone offers minimal provisions. The tent camps that crowd beaches, vacant lots, and streets lack sanitation and medical facilities, with limited access to aid, according to the UN and humanitarian groups. Families live amid mountains of garbage and polluted streams.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that the nine-month-long war has resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian deaths and 89,800 injuries. The Ministry’s figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
The conflict began on October 7 with a Hamas attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking approximately 250 hostages. According to Israeli authorities, about 120 hostages remain in captivity, with an estimated one-third believed to be dead.
This ongoing conflict and the recent evacuation order underscore the dire situation in Gaza, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence and displacement. The humanitarian crisis remains critical, with limited access to essential services and a shrinking space for safety.
