In a new wave of restrictions, the Israeli occupation has drastically reduced the area it claims to be “safe and humanitarian” in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, to just 18 square kilometers, according to Mohammed Al-Mughir, Director of the Supply Department at the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza.
Speaking exclusively to Days of Palestine Al-Mughir detailed how the so-called “safe zone” in Khan Yunis initially spanned 70 square kilometers at the onset of the Rafah invasion in May. This area was subsequently reduced to 68 square kilometers, then to 40, followed by 38, and now, it stands at a mere 18 square kilometers.
These reductions, Al-Mughir noted, are the result of evacuation orders issued periodically by the Israeli occupation, targeting large swaths of Khan Yunis.
Such orders have instilled widespread panic among residents and displaced persons, leaving them in constant fear for their safety.
According to a recent statement by the Israeli occupation army, the areas that residents were ordered to evacuate today include Al-Salqa and its neighborhoods, Al-Qarara and its neighborhoods, Bani Suhaila and its neighborhoods, Abasan and its neighborhoods, Khuza’a and its neighborhoods, as well as the Sheikh Nasser district, the city center, Al-Satar, and Al-Mahatta.
As a consequence, the so-called “safe zone” in Khan Yunis is now confined to the areas of Al-Amal, the camp, and Al-Mawasi to the west, which accounts for only 18% of the total area of the governorate, according to the Civil Defense.
Last week, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that forced evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military have become a daily occurrence for the people of Gaza, who are compelled to flee for their lives.
UNRWA’s data indicates that 83% of Gaza has been placed under evacuation orders or classified as “no-go zones” by the Israeli military, highlighting that safety is non-existent anywhere in the territory.
The latest statistics reveal that the number of displaced persons in Gaza has surged to nearly two million, with 1.7 million of them living in dire conditions in the Al-Mawasi area in the southwest of the Strip, according to a recent statement by the international humanitarian organization Oxfam.
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