Israeli forces have initiated a ground and air assault on the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, triggering fresh waves of displacement among civilians already uprooted by the ongoing conflict.
Operation Begins After Evacuation Warnings
The operation commenced early Monday, just hours after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents in six residential blocks in the southwestern part of the city. This area is currently overwhelmed with thousands of people displaced from Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Local journalists informed the BBC that Israeli tanks and military vehicles entered Deir al-Balah from the Kisufim checkpoint, under heavy artillery and aerial cover. Dozens of shells reportedly struck the Abu al-‘Ajin and Hikr al-Jami’ neighborhoods as ground forces advanced. Footage shared on social media depicted continuous explosions and gunfire as Israeli troops pushed forward.
Mass Displacement and Corridor Concerns
Thousands of residents fled the city overnight, heading towards the coastal area of al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis. Al-Mawasi has become one of the few remaining areas of relative refuge in southern Gaza.
Fear is mounting among local residents that this latest military assault might be part of an effort to establish a new corridor that would isolate Deir al-Balah from the surrounding central Gaza region. If confirmed, this would mark the third such axis, following the creation of Israeli military routes through the Netzarim corridor in southern Gaza City and the Morag axis in Rafah.
