By Yoni Weiss
On Friday, the Israeli army issued a new evacuation order for Palestinians in northern Khan Yunis and eastern Deir al-Balah, further narrowing the boundaries of the humanitarian zone designated by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces announced that several neighborhoods in northern Khan Younis will no longer be considered part of the humanitarian zone, as the military plans to crack down on Hamas’ activities in the area. According to the Israel Defense Forces, this adjustment is due to “numerous acts of terrorism, the use of the humanitarian zone for terrorist purposes, and the firing of rockets at the State of Israel from neighborhoods in northern Khan Younis,” making it dangerous for civilians to stay there.
The Israel Defense Forces stressed that the changes to the humanitarian zone were based on “accurate intelligence indicating that Hamas has established a terrorist infrastructure in the area defined as the humanitarian zone.” The warning is intended to reduce harm to civilians.
“The Israeli forces will act vigorously against the terrorist organizations and therefore call on the remaining population in the northern neighborhoods of Khan Yunis and eastern Deir al-Balah to temporarily evacuate to the adapted humanitarian zone,” the Israeli army said. Deir al-Balah is one of the few areas in Gaza where the Israeli forces have not carried out intensive ground operations.
The Israeli forces are addressing their appeals to the civilian population through leaflets, text messages, phone calls and media broadcasts. An Israeli source clarified that hospitals in the area do not need to be evacuated and that this information has been conveyed to the Palestinian health authorities and the international community.
