Israel orders evacuation of densely populated areas of Gaza designated as humanitarian zones

2024-07-27 08:28:01

Khan Younis, Gaza (AP) —

The Israeli military on Saturday ordered the evacuation of densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip designated as humanitarian zones and said it planned to carry out operations against Hamas militants at a makeshift camp in Khan Younis, which includes parts of Al Muwaisi. Thousands of people are looking for refugees there.

The order came in response to rocket launches that Israel said originated in the area. This is the second evacuation order in a week for areas designated for Palestinians fleeing other parts of Gaza. Many Palestinians have been displaced multiple times in search of safety during Israel’s air and ground offensive.

On Monday, after the evacuation order was issued, Israel launched multiple air strikes in the area around Khan Younis, killing at least 70 people, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, citing data provided by Al-Nasser Hospital.

The area is part of a 60-square-kilometer (about 20-square-mile) “humanitarian zone” to which Israel has asked Palestinians to flee throughout the war. According to the United Nations and humanitarian groups, much of the area is populated by tent camps, lacking health and medical facilities and with limited access to aid. According to Israeli estimates, some 1.8 million Palestinians have taken refuge there. This represents more than half of Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.3 million.

Further north, airstrikes in Zawaida in central Gaza killed at least five people overnight, according to an Associated Press reporter who saw the bodies at the hospital. The number, confirmed by Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, includes a father, a mother and three children.

The war in Gaza has killed more than 39,100 Palestinians, according to the region’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians when tallying the figures. The United Nations estimated in February that there were about 17,000 unaccompanied children in the territory, with the number likely to increase since then.

The war began with an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostages. According to Israeli authorities, some 115 people remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

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