GAZA — The Israeli army on Sunday issued a fresh evacuation order for residents in the southwestern parts of Deir al-Balah, as it intensified its military campaign in central Gaza.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced that civilians sheltering in residential blocks between numbers 130 and 2351 — including those in tents — must evacuate the area and move south toward the coastal zone of al-Mawasi.

The designated “safe zone” of al-Mawasi has grown increasingly overcrowded, with tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in extreme and deteriorating conditions.

Despite repeated Israeli military assurances, the area has been bombed multiple times throughout the war, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians.

Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has so far killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health authorities.

The bombing campaign has devastated the enclave’s infrastructure, pushed the population to the brink of famine, and caused widespread outbreaks of disease.

Meanwhile, talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas are ongoing in Doha, Qatar. Mediators are attempting to bridge wide gaps on core issues including the release of hostages, the scope of military withdrawal, and humanitarian access. — Agencies