Nearly 100 strikes in Gaza’s ‘humanitarian zone’, according to BBC Verify

An area in Gaza where the Israeli military has ordered people to go “for their safety” has been hit 97 times since May, BBC Verify analysis shows.

The findings come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas appear to be on the verge of a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say talks are in their 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 out of harm’s way.”

On May 6, 2024, the IDF significantly expanded the zone to include the cities of Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah.

This area, most 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 militants operating in a “humanitarian zone” and accused the group of violating international law by “exploiting” 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 in Gaza, with satellite images showing areas leveled to the territory of 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 in the “humanitarian zone” have increased since May 2024, with at least 22 strikes already recorded this month.

Local media reported that more than 550 people were killed in the 97 strikes depicted 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 others documented by BBC Verify.

Gavin Kelleher, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) access manager in Gaza, said the area was under “almost daily” strikes, including from Israeli ships and quadcopters or small drones.

He added that “heavy fires are recurring in the area, despite (Israel’s) unilateral recognition as ‘humanitarian’.”

“The Israeli military apparently wants 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 of the area, Khaled Abdel Rahman, told the BBC that residents are subjected to daily bombardments, which often result in injuries and casualties.

“We were moved to Khan Yunis because it was declared a safe zone, but in fact we find nothing but danger here,” Mr Rahman said. “We have been denied a real sense of security, fear dominates our lives.”

How Israel does not allow foreign journalists into Gaza – apart from the tightly controlled military-escorted trips – the international media, including the BBC, rely on images collected by Palestinian journalists and Gazans.

To track attacks in the IDF’s “humanitarian zone”, BBC Verify monitored Palestinian social media channels and official IDF channels on Instagram, Telegram and X. Reports of strikes, which contained verified images from inside the zone, were then correlated with local media reports to identify number of dead.

It is important to note that the death toll cannot be verified based on videos and social media reports alone. A BBC Verify analysis ruled out reports of casualties unless there was verifiable footage confirming the incident took place within the IDF’s designated “humanitarian zone”.

BBC Verify has reviewed more than 300 videos and photos posted in the “humanitarian zone” since May. Although it is not always possible to distinguish militants from civilians, the footage shows many people, including women and children, being pulled from the rubble. Some of them appeared lifeless, while others suffered severe burns or severe injuries to their limbs, next to collapsed buildings, destroyed tents and burnt cars.

Seven of the documented strikes reportedly killed 20 or more people each, with the deadliest strike occurring on July 13. more than 90 deathsaccording to the Gaza Ministry of Health, first responders and medics.

The IDF reported this later The military leader of Hamas, Mohammed Deifwas among the dead. Deif is accused of being one of those involved in planning the October 7 terrorist attacks.

Nine strikes occurred within a radius of 100 meters from the buildings of 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 sites, operational apartments, underground infrastructure, operational headquarters and terrorist hideouts.”

They also included links to six of their previously published statements about Hamas militants operating in the “humanitarian zone”.

Residents of the zone also live in constant uncertainty. Including evacuation notices, the boundary of the “humanitarian zone” has changed 20 times – and has varied in size from about 7 km² (2.7 sq mi) when it was first introduced to 72 km² (27.8 sq mi) in the largest size. .

The IDF said the evacuation notices “do not constitute a reduction of the humanitarian zone. As soon as the danger passes, 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 directly. BBC Verify did not include strikes in areas where evacuation notices were issued in our count.

While the Israeli military avoided using the term “safe zone,” their statements led civilians to interpret the “humanitarian zone” as such. The IDF’s evacuation notices include wording that tells civilians – like this one that was issued in mid-December — “for your own safety, immediately move to the west, to the humanitarian zone.”

He also described the zone as “designated for humanitarian aid and shelters as part of the IDF’s ongoing efforts to protect the non-involved population.”

But UN and international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza said there is no such thing as a “safe zone” which is performed unilaterally.

Juliet Tuma of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, Unrwa, said: “We have talked about 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.