Israel prepares plan to relocate Gazans to ‘safe zones’ in southern Gaza

Gaza residents will begin receiving tents and other shelter supplies from Sunday as part of plans to move them from combat zones to the south of the enclave “to ensure their safety,” the Israeli military said on Saturday.

The announcement comes days after Israel declared its intention to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban centre, a move that has sparked international concern over the fate of the war-ravaged territory, home to about 2.2 million people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last Sunday that civilians would be evacuated to “safe zones” before the offensive, describing Gaza City as Hamas’ “last stronghold.”

According to the military, the shelter equipment will be transported through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza by the United Nations and other international aid groups, following inspection by defence ministry personnel.

A spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs voiced concern over Israel’s relocation plans, warning it would deepen the suffering of civilians. Still, the UN welcomed Israel’s decision to allow tents and other shelter items into the enclave. “The UN and its partners will seize the opportunity this opens,” the spokesperson said.

The UN has repeatedly cautioned that thousands of families already living in dire conditions could face further catastrophe if Israel proceeds with its Gaza City operation. Both Palestinian and UN officials stress that no part of Gaza is truly safe, including southern areas where Israel has directed people to move.

The Israeli military declined to clarify whether the shelter equipment was meant for Gaza City’s roughly one million residents, or if those displaced would be relocated to Rafah, on the border with Egypt.