Israeli Directive Forces Central Gaza Palestinians to Flee along 'Death Corridor'
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Palestinians in central Gaza are forced to flee as Israel issues evacuation orders, compelling the enclave's population into a smaller area while intensifying its bombardment.
Israel's recent directive instructing families in central Gaza to seek refuge in southern Gaza's Deir el-Balah has stirred resentment among residents already displaced multiple times since October 7.
Salah al-Din Street, known as the "death corridor," witnessed another wave of mass displacement as Palestinians from Bureij and areas of Nuseirat loaded their belongings onto the street, recounting previous evacuations marked by arrests, shootings, and fatalities despite being declared safe by the Israeli regime's army.
Injured individuals are compelled to escape once again. Having already fled their home in Shujayea, Gaza City, after an Israeli airstrike on November 7, they now face extreme pain from injuries sustained. Al-Shifa Hospital, where many sought treatment, was raided by Israeli soldiers, prompting further displacement.
For others like Salem al-Sheikh, forcibly displaced from Nassr neighborhood, this marks the third displacement. The ongoing evacuation call coincides with Israeli ground troops engaging Palestinian fighters in southern and central Gaza, contributing to the staggering death toll of at least 390 in the last 48 hours.
The United Nations reports nearly 1.9 million people displaced, over 80% of Gaza's pre-war population, with many seeking refuge in overcrowded UN-run schools. However, these shelters face challenges, having been targeted in Israeli air raids, rendering them uninhabitable and contributing to the spread of infections.
Al-Sheikh, expressing exhaustion and the desire to return home, highlights the dire conditions in makeshift accommodations. Over 60% of residential units in Gaza are damaged, with more than 20,000 Palestinians, including 8,000 children, killed in the latest Israeli offensive. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, warn of mass displacement consequences, labeling it a "war crime" and urging the Israeli regime's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to cease destructive actions.