Israel orders evacuation of northern Khan Yunis, reducing ‘humanitarian zone’
The Israeli occupation army has issued a new evacuation order for Palestinians in northern Khan Yunis and eastern Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, further shrinking the boundaries of the designated “humanitarian zone”.
According to the occupation, military operations are planned in those areas.
“Due to many acts of terrorism, the exploitation of the humanitarian zone for terror activity, and the firing of rockets at the State of Israel from the neighbourhoods in north Khan Younis, remaining in this area has become dangerous,” it said.
Israel has repeatedly issued mass evacuation orders as its forces return to heavily devastated areas which they previously claimed to have cleared on Palestinian resistance fighters. Ninety per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, often multiple times, within the besieged territory.
Moreover, the Israeli military claimed that it is adjusting the boundaries of the so-called “humanitarian zone” based on “precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has placed terror infrastructure in the area that was defined as a humanitarian area.” Palestinians and the UN have, however, said no place is safe in Gaza as Israel has bombed so-called “safe zones” on numerous occasions.
The “humanitarian zone” has continuously decreased throughout Israel’s genocidal bombing of Gaza since October 2023. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced into overcrowded tent camps with limited public services or taken refuge in schools, many of which have been directly hit or damaged, according to the United Nations.
Khan Yunis has been almost entirely flattened by Israel’s air and ground offensive earlier this year. Tens of thousands of residents fled again last week following a new evacuation order.
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since October.
The Israeli onslaught has since killed over 40,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 92,400 others, according to local health authorities.
Over ten months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
SOURCE: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240816-israel-orders-evacuation-of-northern-khan-yunis-reducing-humanitarian-zone/