Israeli attacks shrink ‘safe areas’ in Gaza to just 35 square kilometers, says Civil Defense spokesperson
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Gaza’s Civil Defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, has reported a drastic reduction in the safe areas within the Gaza Strip due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes and military operations. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Basal stated that what was once a livable area of 240 square kilometers has now been reduced to a mere 35 square kilometers.
Basal explained that since the onset of the genocide, Israeli forces have been systematically displacing Palestinians at gunpoint, forcing them out of their lifelong homes and communities. Initially, residents were urged to evacuate from northern Gaza under heavy bombardment, a strategy that later extended to southern regions as well.
This severe contraction of space has left Gaza’s population in dire straits, with the current situation allowing each resident barely a quarter of a square meter of space. “Four people are now living in just one square meter, whereas previously, an individual had between 2.5 to 3 square meters to live in,” Basal said, emphasizing the harsh reality that Gaza’s people now face due to these circumstances.
The Israeli military’s actions have compounded the crisis by targeting areas they themselves previously designated as safe or humanitarian zones. Basal highlighted that many Gazans have taken refuge in areas like Mawasi Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and parts of Khan Younis in the south. However, these areas lack basic life-sustaining resources, making survival increasingly difficult for the displaced population.
According to an Associated Press report, at least 84% of Gaza’s territory is now considered part of an Israeli evacuation zone. The report also indicates that 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced during the ongoing genocide. Since July 22, a total of 13 evacuation orders have been issued, significantly shrinking the humanitarian zone initially declared by the occupation state. This has forced more Palestinians into already overcrowded and undersupplied areas.
