Israel plans forcible transfer of Palestinians to southern Gaza

The Israeli military (IDF) is preparing to forcibly evacuate Palestinians from areas designated as war zones to southern Gaza. The decision comes days after it announced a new military operation to retake Gaza City. Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adraee said on Saturday (August 16) that the residents to be evacuated would be provided with tents and other shelter materials through the Karem Abu Salem (Karem Shalom) border crossing by the United Nations and international aid agencies. The UN has not yet commented on the plan or its possible role in it. The announcement comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said the army had been given permission to “destroy” the last two Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the southern al-Mawasi area. The Israeli military has not yet said whether the shelters are intended for the nearly one million residents of Gaza City or whether they will be sent to the Rafah area near the Egyptian border. The United Nations did not immediately comment, but warned on Thursday (August 14) that if the Gaza City plan is implemented, thousands of families already in dire humanitarian conditions will face complete disaster.