The Israeli military has instructed Palestinian residents of Gaza to evacuate to a designated safe space in the town of al-Mawasi in the south of the Gaza Strip. This directive follows increased Israeli bombings in southern Gaza, particularly around Khan Younis, where the military claims Hamas leaders are located. Al-Mawasi is a small coastal Bedouin town, approximately 1km wide and 14km long, which had been surrounded by Israeli settlements until 2005.
However, the area designated as a humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi is only 6.5 sq km, equivalent to half the size of London’s Heathrow Airport. This limited space raises concerns about its ability to accommodate over 1.8 million Palestinians forced to evacuate since the outbreak of violence on October 7.
Israel’s increasing bombardment of southern Gaza after the collapse of a truce has thinned for safe zone options for Palestinians during the bloody war that has exceeded 60 days. Israel has deemed that Khan Younis, which was once rendered safe, is now a “dangerous combat zone”.
While Israel has claimed there are safe zones for civilians in Gaza, residents have said no place is safe, and experts pointed out that spaces earmarked by Israel for people to evacuate to are too small or incapable of hosting large displaced populations.
Critics argue that Israel’s declared safe zones are too small and incapable of hosting large displaced populations, hindering the flow of humanitarian aid. Legal expert Bushra Khalidi and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus have criticized the establishment of al-Mawasi as a safe space, highlighting health concerns due to overpopulation and inadequate infrastructure.
Khalidi specifically pointed out the rapid spread of cholera and gastroenteritis in the congested conditions, making it challenging for people to improve their health.
