Almost 100 strikes in Gaza ‘humanitarian zone’, BBC Verify finds

The area in Gaza that the Israeli army has told people to go to “for safety” has been hit by 97 protests since May, a BBC Verify analysis has revealed.

The findings come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say negotiations are in their final stages, raising hopes that a deal could be reached soon.

The “humanitarian zone” was first established by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in October 2023 because of “security“residents to “protect innocent civilians”.

On May 6, 2024, the IDF expanded the area to include the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah.

The region – which is mostly a stretch of the Mediterranean Sea – is densely populated and is estimated to be home to more than a million people according to international aid agencies. Many people are living in tents, with limited infrastructure and access to limited resources.

In a statement to BBC Verify, the IDF said it was targeting Hamas fighters operating “in the humanitarian sector” and accused the group of violating international law by “exploiting” civilians as human shields and firing rockets. from this area.

Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were captured.

The conflict has resulted in the destruction of infrastructure in Gaza, with satellite images showing areas devastated by Israeli strikes. The Hamas-run health ministry also said more than 46,600 people have been killed inside the fence since the fighting began.

Analysis by BBC Verify shows that violence within “care centers” has increased since May 2024, with at least 22 incidents recorded already this month.

Local media reports indicate that more than 550 people have been killed in the 97 protests compiled by BBC Verify.

BBC Verify cannot confirm that all incidents were the result of IDF attacks. Israeli military officials have publicly acknowledged the 28 strikes since May 6, but have not confirmed the involvement of others reported by BBC Verify.

Gavin Kelleher, manager of Gaza outreach at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said “almost every day” in the area, including Israeli ships and quadcopters, or small drones.

He added that “furious fires are happening again and again in the area even though it is there [Israel’s] the name ‘helper of the people’.”

“The Israeli military seems determined to maintain the illusion of a Humanitarian Center that remains the same size, yet the area can be subject to ‘evacuation orders’ at any time and control,” Kelleher said.

A resident of the area, Khaled Abdel Rahman, told the BBC that people are being bombed every day, causing casualties and injuries.

“We moved to Khan Younis because it was designated as a safe place, but in fact we are finding nothing but insecurity here,” Rahman said. “We have been denied a real sense of security, and fear is ruling our lives.”

Like Israel does not allow foreign journalists to go to Gaza – apart from the highly controlled trips, accompanied by its soldiers – the international media, including the BBC, rely on the images collected by Palestinian journalists and residents of Gaza.

In order to track terrorists inside the IDF’s “humanitarian zone”, BBC Verify monitors Palestinian social media activity and official IDF posts on Instagram, Telegram and X. Reports of attacks that contained verified images from within the territory’s borders they were also replaced with local ones. media reports to determine the number of deaths.

It is important to note that death toll numbers cannot be verified based on videos and media reports. BBC Verify’s analysis did not include reports of casualties where there were no confirmed photographs to prove that these occurred within the IDF’s “humanitarian zone”.

BBC Verify has reviewed more than 300 videos and photos posted since May in the “humanitarian environment”. Although it is impossible to distinguish the fighters from the civilians, the images show many people, including women and children, being pulled from the ruins. Some appeared lifeless, while others suffered severe burns or severe hand injuries, along with collapsed buildings, damaged tents and burnt-out cars.

Seven of the protests on record have killed 20 or more people, with the deadliest on July 13. over 90 dieAccording to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the first responders are medical personnel.

The IDF later said The leader of the armed group of Hamas, Mohammed Deifhe was among the dead. Deif is accused of being one of the people who planned the 7 October attacks.

Nine demonstrations took place within 100m of Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, and four within 150m of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.

The IDF told BBC Verify that the raids were carried out “against terrorists and terrorist facilities including ammunition depots, warehouses and manufacturing facilities, operations rooms, underground structures, personnel headquarters, and terrorist hideouts.”

He also included links to six previously published articles about Hamas fighters working in “humanitarian centers”.

Residents of the area also live in uncertainty. Including the exit notification, the boundaries of the “humanitarian zone” have changed 20 times – and have varied in size from around 7 km² (2.7 sq miles) when they were first introduced to 72 km² (27.8 sq miles) .

The IDF said that the evacuation notice “does not mean a reduction in humanitarian aid facilities. When the danger passes, the residents will return”. But it is unclear how the residents know it is safe to return, and the IDF has only posted twice on social media to say so. BBC Verify did not include activists in places where evacuation notices were given in our figures.

Although the Israeli military has avoided using the term “safe zone”, its statement has led civilians to interpret “humanitarian zone” as such. IDF evacuation notices include language that tells civilians – like this one that was released in mid-December – “for your own safety, move immediately west to the humanitarian area”.

It added that the district was “designated to provide humanitarian aid and shelter as part of the IDF’s ongoing efforts to protect the vulnerable.”

But the UN organization and international humanitarian organizations working in Gaza we have said that there is no “safe place” which are controlled unilaterally.

Juliette Touma of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said: “We have said this many times. There is no safe place in Gaza. There is no safe place. No one is safe. There is no safe place.”

Additional reporting by Paul Brown.