On Sunday night, Israel issued fresh evacuation orders for Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, compelling additional families to evacuate. The Israeli forces declared their intention to take action against the militant group Hamas and other entities operating in the region. In the past few days, Israel has issued multiple evacuation orders throughout Gaza, the highest number since the commencement of the 10-month conflict. This has elicited protests from Palestinians, the United Nations, and relief organizations due to the shrinking of humanitarian zones and the lack of safe areas. The Deir Al-Balah municipality reports that Israeli evacuation orders have displaced 250,000 individuals so far. In a statement on X, the Israeli military advised residents in specific areas to relocate immediately to the west, as their current location is deemed a hazardous combat zone. Israeli military operations resulted in the death of at least seven Palestinians on Monday, according to medical personnel. Two fatalities occurred in Deir Al-Balah, where approximately one million people were seeking refuge, two at a school in the Al-Nuseirat camp, and three in the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border. Later on Monday, an Israeli attack on a coastal tent in Gaza City led to the death of six Palestinians and injured several others, as reported by medics to Reuters. The new evacuation directives forced numerous families and patients to abandon Al-Aqsa Hospital, the primary medical center in Deir Al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands of residents and displaced individuals had sought shelter due to fears of bombardment. The hospital is situated near the area specified in the evacuation notice. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stated on X Sunday night that an explosion about 250 meters from the MSF-supported Al-Aqsa Hospital caused panic. Consequently, MSF is contemplating suspending wound care temporarily while continuing to provide life-saving treatments. According to Gaza's health ministry, from approximately 650 patients, only 100 remain in the hospital, with seven in the intensive care unit. MSF emphasized that the situation is intolerable, as Al-Aqsa Hospital has been operating far beyond its capacity for weeks due to the absence of alternative facilities. All parties involved in the conflict must respect the hospital and ensure patients' access to medical care. Gaza's Ministry of Health appealed for the protection of the 100 patients inside the hospital and the medical staff caring for them. In a separate statement, it reported that Israeli military strikes had killed at least 30 Palestinians and wounded 66 others across the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. Sawsan Abu Afesh recounted that she and her children have been displaced 11 times. She left some of her children near her belongings and is now with her younger ones and her daughter, relying on divine assistance. She has no funds for transportation and plans to walk to area 17 where her family resides. She took some of her children with her, while three were left behind, with no knowledge of their whereabouts. The situation escalates with little prospect of the war ending soon, as diplomatic efforts by mediators Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have yet to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas, with both sides blaming each other for the lack of agreement. Neither Hamas nor Israel accepted several compromises proposed by mediators during talks in Cairo on Sunday, according to two Egyptian security sources. However, a senior US official characterized the discussions as constructive, conducted with the intent to reach a final and enforceable agreement. Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated that the group rejected new conditions imposed by Israel during the talks, which Hamas did not attend, and criticized US comments about an imminent ceasefire deal as false and politically motivated.
Text: Lara Palmer
26.08.2024
Fresh directives force more families to flee as diplomatic efforts fail to halt the 10-month war