The BBCThe area of Gaza where the Israeli military told people to go “for their safety” has been hit by 97 strikes since May, BBC Verify analysis has revealed.
The findings come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas appear close to a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say talks are in their final stages, raising hopes a deal could be reached soon.
The “Humanitarian Zone” was first established by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in October 2023. for “protection” to residents to “keep innocent civilians out of harm's way”.
On May 6, 2024 The IDF significantly expanded the area to include the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah.
The area – much of which is a strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea – is densely populated and, according to international humanitarian organizations, more than a million people live there. 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 the “humanitarian zone” and accused the group of violating international law while “exploiting” civilians as human shields and firing 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 another 251 hostage.
The conflict has caused widespread damage to infrastructure in Gaza, with satellite images showing areas leveled by Israeli strikes. The Hamas-run health ministry also says more than 46,600 people have been killed in the enclave since the war began.
Analysis by BBC Verify suggests that attacks within the “humanitarian zone” have increased since May 2024, with at least 22 strikes already recorded so far this month.
Local media reports suggest more than 550 people were killed in 97 strikes mapped by BBC Verify.
BBC Verify cannot confirm that all incidents are the result of IDF attacks. The Israeli military has publicly acknowledged 28 attacks since May 6, but has not confirmed involvement in the others documented by BBC Verify.
Gavin Kelleher, Gaza access manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said there were “almost daily” strikes in the area, including by Israeli ships and quadcopters, or small drones.
He added that “heavy fire is recurring in this area, despite its (Israeli) unilateral designation as 'humanitarian'”.
“The Israeli military seems very keen 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 attacked,” Mr Kelleher said.
One resident who lives in the area, Khaled Abdel Rahman, told the BBC that residents were subjected to daily bombardment, often resulting in injuries and casualties.
“We were moved to Khan Younis because it was designated as a safe zone, but in fact we find nothing but insecurity,” Mr Rahman said. “We are denied a true sense of security, and fear dominates our lives.”
like Israel does not allow foreign reporters access to Gaza – apart from highly controlled, escorted trips with its military – international media, including the BBC, rely on images collected by Palestinian journalists and Gazans.
To track attacks within the IDF 'humanitarian zone', BBC Verify monitored Palestinian social media channels and the official IDF channels on Instagram, Telegram and X. Reports of strikes, including verified images from the zone's borders, were then cross-referenced with local media reports to determine the reported death toll.
It is important to note that the death toll cannot be confirmed based on videos and social media reports alone. BBC Verify's analysis excluded reports of deaths where there was no verifiable imagery to confirm that the incident occurred within the IDF's designated “humanitarian zone”.
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 between fighters and civilians, the footage shows dozens of people, including women and children, being pulled from the rubble. Some appeared lifeless, while others were badly burned or had significant limb injuries, alongside collapsed buildings, destroyed tents and burnt-out cars.
Saeed Jaras/AFP via Getty ImagesSeven of the documented strikes reportedly killed 20 or more people, with the deadliest on July 13 resulting in more than 90 deathsaccording to the Gaza Ministry of Health, First Aid and Medics.
The IDF said later Hamas military commander Mohammed Deifis among the dead. Deif is accused of being one of the figures responsible for planning the October 7 attacks.
Nine strikes occurred within 100 meters of buildings belonging to al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, and four within 150 meters of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis.
The IDF told BBC Verify that the strikes were “against terrorists and terrorist infrastructure, including missile launchers, weapons depots and production facilities, 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 the “humanitarian zone”.
The residents of the zone also live in constant insecurity. Including evacuation notices, the boundary of the “humanitarian zone” has changed 20 times – and has varied in size from about 7 square kilometers (2.7 square miles) when it was first introduced to 72 square kilometers (27.8 square miles) in the 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 is unclear how residents know it is safe to return, and the IDF has only twice posted on social media to say so explicitly. BBC Verify did not include strikes in areas where evacuation notices were issued in our statistics.
Although the Israeli military avoids using the term “safe zone,” her statements lead civilians to interpret the “humanitarian zone” as such. IDF evacuation notices include language that tells civilians – like the one that was released in mid-December – “for your own safety, move west immediately to the humanitarian zone”.
It also described the area as “designated for humanitarian aid and shelters as part of the IDF's consistent efforts to protect the uninvolved population.”
But the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza they said there is no such thing as a “safe zone” which is applied unilaterally.
Juliet Touma of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, Unrwa, said: “We have said it 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.
