The area of Gaza that Israel’s military has told people to go to “for their safety” has been hit by 97 strikes since May, an analysis by BBC Verify has revealed.
The news comes as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say talks are in the final stages, raising hopes that an agreement could be reached soon.
The “Humanitarian Zone” was first established by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in October 2023 to “protection” residents to “keep innocent civilians away from danger”.
On May 6, 2024, the IDF significantly expanded the zone to include the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah.
The area – which mostly consists of a strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea – is densely populated and it is estimated that over a million people live there, according to international humanitarian organizations. Many people live in tents, with limited infrastructure and limited access to aid.
In a statement to BBC Verify, the IDF said it was targeting Hamas fighters operating in a “humanitarian zone” and accused the group of violating international law while “using” civilians as human shields and launching rockets from the area.
Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
The conflict has caused extensive damage to infrastructure across Gaza, with satellite images showing areas flattened by Israeli strikes. The Hamas-run health ministry also says more than 46,600 people have been killed inside the enclave since the war began.
Analysis by BBC Verify suggests that attacks inside the “humanitarian zone” have intensified since May 2024, with at least 22 attacks already recorded so far this month.
Local media reports indicate that more than 550 people were killed in the 97 strikes mapped by BBC Verify.
BBC Verify cannot confirm that all incidents are the result of IDF attacks. Israeli military officials have publicly acknowledged 28 attacks since May 6, but have not confirmed involvement in the others documented by BBC Verify.
Gavin Kelleher, access manager in Gaza for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said there were “almost daily” attacks inside the zone, involving Israeli ships and quadcopters or small drones.
He added that “severe fires are recurring in this area despite [Israel’s] unilateral ‘humanitarian’ determination.”
“The Israeli military seems to want to maintain the illusion of a humanitarian zone that remains a certain size, but that zone can be subject to ‘evacuation orders’ at any time and be targeted,” Mr Kelleher said.
One resident who lives in the zone, Khaled Abdel Rahman, told the BBC that residents were subjected to daily bombardment, which often resulted in injuries and casualties.
“We have been displaced to Khan Younis because it is designated as a safe zone, but in fact we find nothing but insecurity here,” Mr Rahman said. “We are denied a real sense of security, and fear dominates our lives.”
As Israel does not allow foreign reporters access to Gaza – apart from the highly controlled military-escorted trips – the international media, including the BBC, rely on images collected by Palestinian journalists and Gazans.
To track attacks inside the IDF’s “humanitarian zone,” BBC Verify monitored Palestinian social media channels and official IDF channels on Instagram, Telegram and X. Reports of attacks that included verified images inside the zone’s borders were then compared with local media reports. to determine the reported death toll.
It is important to note that the death toll cannot be verified based on videos and social media reports alone. The BBC Verify analysis excluded reports of deaths where there were no verifiable images to confirm that the incident took place within the IDF’s “humanitarian area” borders.
BBC Verify has reviewed more than 300 videos and photos released since May in the “humanitarian zone”. Although it is not always possible to distinguish fighters from civilians, the footage shows scores of people, including women and children, being pulled from the rubble. Some appeared lifeless, while others were badly burned or had significant limb injuries, in addition to collapsed buildings, destroyed tents and burnt out cars.
Seven documented attacks reportedly killed 20 or more people, with the deadliest on July 13. more than 90 deadaccording to the Gaza Ministry of Health, emergency services and doctors.
The IDF later said Hamas military commander Mohammed Deifhe was among the dead. Deif is accused of being one of the people responsible for planning the October 7 attack.
Nine strikes occurred within 100 meters of the buildings of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, and four within 150 meters of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.
The IDF told BBC Verify that the strikes were carried out “against terrorists and terrorist infrastructure including rocket launchers, weapons depots and production sites, operational apartments, underground infrastructure, operational headquarters and terrorist hideouts”.
They also included links to six of their previously published statements about Hamas fighters operating in a “humanitarian zone.”
The inhabitants of the zone also live in constant uncertainty. Including evacuation notices, the “humanitarian zone” boundary has changed 20 times – and has varied in size from around 7 km square (2.7 sq mi) when first introduced to 72 km square (27.8 sq mi) at its largest .
The IDF said the evacuation notices “do not constitute a reduction of the humanitarian zone. Once the danger has passed, residents return.” But it’s unclear how residents know the return is safe, and the IDF has only twice posted on social media specifically saying so. BBC Verify did not include strikes within areas where evacuation notices were issued in our list.
While the Israeli military avoided using the term “safe zone,” its statements led civilians to interpret the “humanitarian zone” as such. The IDF’s evacuation notices include language that tells civilians – like this one that was released in mid-December – “for your own safety, immediately head west to the humanitarian area”.
It also described the zone as “designated for humanitarian aid and shelters as part of the IDF’s consistent efforts to protect the uninvolved population.”
But of the UN and international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza they said there is no such thing as a “safe zone” which is implemented unilaterally.
Juliette Touma of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, Unrwa, said: “We have said this so many times. There is no safe zone in Gaza. No place is safe. No one is safe. No place is spared.”
Additional reporting by Paul Brown.
