Israeli army orders evacuation of new areas in southern Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL

The Israeli army on Saturday ordered evacuations from multiple neighborhoods in the southern city of Khan Younis, warning of imminent attacks in the area near the Morag Axis, which separates the city from Rafah.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued a statement urging residents in several neighborhoods to relocate to “shelter centers in the Al-Mawasi area,” west of the city, which has also been under repeated Israeli strikes that have killed civilians, mostly women and children.

“To all residents of the Gaza Strip in the southeastern areas of Khan Younis, in the neighborhoods of: Qizan an-Najjar, Qizan Abu Rashwan, Al-Salam, Al-Manara, Qaa al-Qurain, Ma’an, Batn al-Samin, Jouret al-Lout, Al-Fukhari, and the southern neighborhoods of Bani Suheila — this is a prior and final warning before the attack,” Adraee said.

“You must immediately move westward to the Al-Mawasi area. We will launch a powerful attack on any area from which rockets are fired,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army said it had completed the siege of Rafah and finalized construction of the Morag Corridor, cutting Rafah off from Khan Younis.

The development follows a report this week by the daily Haaretz, which said the army plans to include Rafah – nearly one-fifth of Gaza’s territory – within a buffer zone from which Palestinians will be banned.

The newspaper described it as “the eradication of the city.”

The proposed buffer zone covers about 75 square kilometers (29 square miles), extending between the Philadelphi and Morag corridors and including Rafah and surrounding areas.

The Morag Corridor is named after a former illegal Israeli settlement in Gaza dismantled during Israel’s 2005 withdrawal.

Israel resumed its offensive on Gaza on March 18, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal that began in January.

Since October 2023, more than 50,900 Palestinians — mostly women and children — have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s assault.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military actions in Gaza.