Israel military orders Palestinians to evacuate part of Gaza humanitarian zone

The military says it is planning an operation against Hamas militants that have embedded themselves in the area.

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip are being ordered to leave the Muwasi area, which was declared a safe zone. Source: AP / Hatem Ali

Key Points

• Israel's military has ordered the evacuation of an area in Gaza that includes part of the Muwasi humanitarian zone
• Earlier in July, Israel estimated at least 1.8 million Palestinians are now in the humanitarian zone.
• The evacuation order came during delicate negotiations seeking a ceasefire in Gaza.

Israel's military has ordered the evacuation of part of an area in the Gaza Strip it has designated a humanitarian zone.

The military says it is planning to begin an operation against Hamas militants who have embedded themselves in the area and used it to launch rockets toward Israel.

The area includes the eastern part of the Muwasi humanitarian zone, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier in July, Israel estimated at least 1.8 million Palestinians are now in the humanitarian zone it declared covering a stretch of about 14km along the Mediterranean.

Much of that area is now blanketed with tent camps that lack sanitation and medical facilities and have limited access to aid, UN and humanitarian groups say.

Families live in the midst of mountains of garbage and streams contaminated by sewage.

Many Palestinians have been uprooted multiple times in search of safety during Israel's air and ground campaign. Source: AP / Fatima Shbair

The Israeli military said on Monday it is continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza.

The already precarious humanitarian conditions inside besieged Gaza have worsened with the discovery of the polio virus as water and sanitation services have deteriorated for the territory's 2.3 million people, most of them displaced.

Traces of the virus were found in sewage samples in Gaza. Israel's military said soldiers would be vaccinated and it would work with organisations to bring in vaccines for Palestinians.

Ceasefire negotiations continue

The evacuation order came during delicate negotiations seeking a ceasefire in Gaza, with US and Israeli officials expressing hope an agreement is closer than ever.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to make a much-anticipated trip to the US to meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress.

A negotiating team will be sent to continue talks on Thursday, Netanyahu's office said.

Egypt, Qatar and the US continue to push Israel and Hamas toward a phased ceasefire deal that would stop the fighting and free the hostages.

The war between Hamas and Israel is the latest escalation in a long-standing conflict.

More than 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October, according to Israeli tallies.

Some 120 remain held, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel's retaliatory air, ground and sea assault on Gaza has killed more than 38,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.