Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has led to continuous displacement of Palestinians in search of safety within the besieged Strip. Most recently, an evacuation order was issued for 250,000 displaced people in Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city, as Israel renewed attacks in southern Gaza. Residents were told to evacuate to the “al-Mawasi humanitarian zone”, despite previous attacks on the area by Israeli forces. The European Hospital, located in Khan Younis, was not included in the evacuation order, but patients were being transferred to nearby hospitals in preparation for a possible ground assault.
The forced displacement of Palestinians, including hospital patients, has put them at great risk, as transportation is difficult and costly due to sustained injuries. The Institute for the Study of War and the Critical Threats Project predict that Israeli forces will enter Khan Younis within 24 hours of the evacuation order. This follows previous evacuations in the city, with residents fleeing to neighbouring areas as a result of Israeli assaults.
The lack of fuel in Gaza has forced residents to walk long distances or use animal carts to flee, adding to the trauma of continuous displacement over the past nine months. The Israeli army’s issuance of evacuation orders for previously declared “safe zones” indicates their inability to achieve their goal of eliminating Hamas and a strategy to exhaust the Palestinian population in Gaza. This tactic aims to create trouble and harm for Palestinians, further complicating an already dire situation in the region.
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