![Palestinians, carrying their personal belongings, try to fled to safer areas to escape from Israeli attacks on Jabalia Refugee Camp in Jabalia, Gaza on May 30, 2025. [Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AA-20250530-38133692-38133683-ISRAELI_ARMY_FORCIBLY_DISPLACES_PALESTINIANS_IN_NORTHERN_GAZA-1-1-1.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
The Israeli army has forcibly displaced over 250,000 Palestinians from the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza to designated “humanitarian zones,” according to a report on Friday by the Hebrew news site Walla, as reported by Anadolu.
The outlet cited unnamed security officials who said the mass displacement, part of the military’s “Gideon’s Chariots” operation, is to “prevent Palestinian fighters from returning to underground and above-ground infrastructure.”
While Walla did not specify the “humanitarian zone” locations, Israel previously designated coastal areas between Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah as those places, despite carrying out deadly strikes there that killed hundreds of displaced civilians in recent months.
The report suggested the army’s operation could last months, with plans for the “complete evacuation of Gaza’s population from combat zones to southern areas” while maintaining permanent military occupation of captured territories.
Israeli media, including the Haaretz newspaper, revealed a plan on May 22 to take control of 75% of Gaza in the next two months.
Many Palestinians had forcibly left areas in northern Gaza toward Gaza City’s western areas, according to Anadolu reporting, where the Israeli army is intensifying deadly attacks, and banning the entry of aid to northern Gaza, exacerbating famine risks.
Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine for the enclave’s more than 2 million residents.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
READ: Israel detained 12,000 Palestinians from Gaza since October 2023: Prisoners’ group
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