As tensions escalate in the region, Israel has issued evacuation orders for parts of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza, urging residents to move towards the Mediterranean coast and Rafah near the Egyptian border.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a map instructing residents of six northern and central neighborhoods to leave immediately, citing concerns for their safety and security.
The affected areas include al-Mahatta, al-Katiba, Hamad, al-Satir, Bani Suheila, and Ma’in, with an estimated 167,000 people residing in this region. The map instructs them to relocate to al-Fukhari, east of Khan Younis, and the already overcrowded neighborhoods of al-Shaboura and Tal al-Sultan in Rafah.
The IDF claims to be distributing leaflets with QR codes that provide access to a map guiding Gazans to safer areas. However, reports from the ground suggest that some residents are either unaware of the map or unable to access it due to a lack of internet coverage.
The Israeli military has declared these designated areas as “safe zones,” but United Nations (UN) officials dispute this characterization. Lynn Hastings, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, rejected the description, stating that “these zones cannot be safe nor humanitarian when unilaterally declared.”
She highlighted the dire conditions in the region, including shelters with limited capacity, a strained health system, inadequate access to clean drinking water, insufficient sanitation, and poor nutrition, further burdening a population already mentally and physically exhausted.
The evacuation order adds to the ongoing challenges faced by Palestinians in the region, heightening concerns about the humanitarian impact amid the backdrop of escalating tensions.
