The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ordered another evacuation of a “security zone” in a neighborhood of Khan Younis (southwestern Gaza) yesterday, stating that it plans to target Hamas infrastructure in the area.
They announced plans to redraw the boundaries of this zone and urged residents to move to safer areas, although many Palestinians have reported that no part of Gaza is safe.
This is not the first time Israel has redefined the boundaries of a humanitarian zone; according to the New York Times, the area has been reduced by more than one-fifth over the past month.
“Security zones” are designated areas meant to protect displaced civilian populations.
The new evacuation orders came shortly after an Israeli missile attack on a school that was being used as a shelter on Saturday. The attack killed over 90 people, mostly women and children. The missile struck a prayer hall that was filled with more than 200 people just before the call to worship around 4:30 a.m. At the time, the shelter was housing over 2,000 displaced individuals.
Israel claimed that the school was being used by Hamas and another armed Palestinian group for military operations and attacks against Israel. This attack is the latest in a series of strikes on schools converted into shelters across Gaza. In the past month, there have been 17 such attacks, resulting in at least 163 Palestinian deaths.
