Israeli Military Orders Evacuation in Gaza Humanitarian Zone
The Israeli military has commanded Palestinians to vacate several neighborhoods in Khan Younis, a southern city in Gaza, including areas marked as part of a humanitarian zone. This evacuation directive affects approximately 400,000 people who have been seeking refuge in these areas, particularly in the eastern section of Al-Mawasi, a sandy strip of land where Palestinians have set up tent encampments.
Escalation in Khan Younis
The military’s decision follows plans to commence operations against Hamas militants in Khan Younis and parts of Al-Mawasi, accusing them of using the area to launch rockets at Israel. “We were displaced from the eastern regions, they called us to evacuate, we took our children and left,” Osama Qudeih told the Associated Press (AP). “There was no safe place left in the Gaza Strip … We went out walking in the streets, not knowing where to go.”
Kholoud al-Dadas, another evacuee, expressed her exhaustion after being displaced multiple times, saying, “Every day we are displaced. Where are the countries? Where is the world, where are the presidents, where are they? Come and see how we are, our children, and what is happening to us.”
Adjustments and Humanitarian Impact
The Israeli military stated it was adjusting the boundaries of the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi to protect civilians from combat areas. However, the situation on the ground remains dire. Gaza health officials reported at least 37 people killed and 120 wounded in recent attacks on and around Khan Younis. Many more casualties are feared to be trapped under rubble or left on roadsides, inaccessible to ambulances.
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Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has been overwhelmed with casualties, appealing urgently for blood donations. Mohammed Sakr, a hospital spokesman, described the chaotic scene: “Tens of cases are on the floor. We don’t have beds to place patients on … we are swimming in a pool of blood.”
Continuing Displacement and International Response
Much of Khan Younis has already been heavily damaged by previous fighting, with hundreds of thousands seeking shelter in the city’s eastern part. Images depict desperate Palestinians fleeing by any means available, including cars and donkey carts.
International relief agencies and the UN have highlighted the lack of safe zones in Gaza, pointing out that even designated humanitarian areas are not immune to attacks. Earlier this month, a strike on Al-Mawasi killed at least 90 people and injured hundreds, despite the area’s supposed status as a safe zone.
Rising Casualties and Global Reactions
Since October 7 of last year, more than 39,000 people have been killed in Gaza due to ongoing Israeli military operations following a deadly Hamas attack on Israeli territory. The Palestinian health ministry reports over 89,000 injured from recent intense Israeli attacks.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, condemned an incident where Israeli forces fired on a UN convoy heading to Gaza City. Despite clear UN markings and pre-approved travel plans, the convoy was attacked, resulting in severe damage to one vehicle.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned the incident, labeling it a war crime. “Gaza has not only become a graveyard for children. It has become a graveyard for international law, a shameful stain on the whole international order,” he declared.
Conclusion
The Israeli military’s recent evacuation order in Khan Younis highlights the escalating conflict and the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As operations continue and the casualty count rises, international calls for a resolution and adherence to humanitarian laws grow louder.
