Israel’s evacuation orders displace 90% of Gaza population

Repeated Israeli evacuation orders have displaced 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.1 million civilians since the start of the war on the enclave on 7 October, a top United Nations official has said.

Muhannad Hadi, a UN humanitarian official said the evacuation orders have only served to endanger Palestinians further rather than protect them.

"They are forcing families to flee again, often under fire with few belongings they carry with them, into an ever-shrinking area," he said, highlighting that these areas are often highly crowded and unsafe.

Palestinians have been forced into "running from one destroyed place to another, with no end in sight," he continued, adding that in the process people are deprived of medical care, shelter, water and emergency humanitarian aid.

The successive evacuation orders come as Israeli forces carry out military attacks in different parts of Gaza. The Gaza war has killed at least 40,344 people and completely devastated the territory, levelling entire neighbourhoods and plunging the territory into a deep humanitarian crisis.

At least 92,981 people have been injured and 11,000 more are unaccounted for, presumed to be dead under rubble.

In August alone, there were at least 12 evacuation orders, with UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric saying they are a threat to UN humanitarian workers in Gaza.

Dujarric also stated that the orders mean that organisations including the World Food Programme (WFP) no longer has access to their warehouses in Deir al Balah.

"This was the third and last operational warehouse in Gaza’s middle area. Five community kitchens operated by WFP have also been evacuated…" Dujarric said.

Key locations including Khan Younis, a city in the southern part of the Strip and the Al-Maghazi refugee camp have faced repeated evacuation orders.

Palestinians often evacuate areas while under fire, putting them in further danger and leaving them in small areas with limited resources.

According to Hadi, the water supply in Deir Al-Balah has been reduced by at least 70 percent due to bombardment shutting down pumps and desalination plants.

He also said there was an acute scarcity of chlorine to disinfect water and an expected one-month supply of reserves left, which is likely to cause the spread of disease, skin infections, hepatitis A and polio.

"International humanitarian law demands that the parties protect civilians and meet their essential needs. The way forward is as clear as it is urgent: protect civilians, release the hostages, facilitate humanitarian access, agree on a ceasefire," Hadi said.

Israel has come under increased scrutiny from the international community for its brutal bombardment of Gaza and is currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians.