New displacement orders in Rafah and Gaza City have forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee once again.
Among the restricted areas is a significant portion of southern Rafah, where Israel’s military issued a new displacement order on March 31, stating their intention to “fight with great force.”
The restrictions also affect parts of Gaza City, where Israeli troops launched a new ground assault on Friday morning to extend their “security zone.”
These escalations have led to one of the largest mass displacements in the ongoing conflict, prompting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians – many of whom have already been displaced multiple times – to flee once more.
Abu Hazem Khalef, an elderly man displaced from eastern Gaza City, informed Al Jazeera, “Our biggest challenge now is displacement. We have no idea how to handle this. I’m heading west of Gaza City, trying to find a place to pitch a tent.”
Mahmoud al-Gharabli, another displaced Palestinian, added, “We’re being forced to leave, and we don’t even know where to go. We’re exhausted and completely broken.”
‘Dividing the Strip’
The military operation follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threat to intensify the assault in order to pressure Hamas into making further concessions.
Netanyahu stated in a video message on Wednesday, “We are now dividing the Strip and increasing pressure step by step, so they will release our hostages.”
On Friday, Israeli forces persistently carried out devastating aerial attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 people since dawn, according to local medical sources and Gaza’s civil defense agency. This followed an intense bombardment on Thursday that claimed the lives of 112 individuals – mostly women and children.
Conditions in al-Ahli Hospital, also known as Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City, where many victims were admitted, are described as “apocalyptic” by Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, who visited the facility.
“We are witnessing bodies lying on the ground, counted in tens. We’ve seen doctors, feeling helpless, unable to save lives due to the critical situation inside the hospital,” said Mahmoud.
Israel resumed its attacks in Gaza on March 18, breaking a two-month ceasefire after negotiations with Hamas failed over the next phase of the agreement.
Netanyahu demands Hamas release the remaining 59 Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and aid. However, he insists that Hamas disarm prior to a final ceasefire deal – a demand Hamas considers a “red line”. Netanyahu has even supported plans for Israel to acquire security control over Gaza and force Palestinians out.
Hamas advocates for a return to the previously agreed three-stage ceasefire framework and has offered to release all captives simultaneously in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
Since October 7, 2023, the war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 50,523 Palestinians and the injury of 114,638 individuals. At least 1,139 people lost their lives in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, and over 200 were taken captive.
