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Israeli forces to change borders of humanitarian zone in Gaza Strip

The adjustment is being carried out in accordance with precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded its infrastructure in the area defined as the humanitarian area, the IDF statement said

TEL AVIV, July 22. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has reported plans to change the border of the humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip in order to carry out a force operation east of Khan Yunis, the army press service said.

"Due to significant terrorist activity and rocket fire toward the State of Israel from the eastern part of the humanitarian area in the Gaza Strip, remaining in this area has become dangerous. Accordingly, at this time, the humanitarian area will be adjusted. The adjustment is being carried out in accordance with precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded terrorist infrastructure in the area defined as the humanitarian area," the statement said, pointing out that the IDF has begun warning civilians to leave the combat zones.

"The IDF is about to forcefully operate against the terrorist organizations and therefore calls on the remaining population left in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Yunis to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. The calls for the temporary evacuation are being communicated to residents through SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic. The IDF will continue to act against the Hamas terrorist organization, which uses the Gazan civilians as a human shield for its terrorist activities and infrastructure," the army press service said.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.