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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
On 21 and 22 August 2024, Israel issued evacuation orders covering 15 neighbourhoods of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in central and southwestern Gaza, respectively. Based on initial estimates, around 30,000 people lived in 146 IDP sites in the affected areas as of 21 August (OCHA 23/08/2024; MSF 21/08/2024). Many of the 1.9 million internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza (90% of its population) had moved to shelter in Deir al-Balah following Israel’s invasion of Rafah in May 2024 (MEE 21/08/2024; OCHA 14/08/2024).
This set of evacuation orders was the 13th issued in August alone; throughout the month, these orders have displaced around 250,000 Palestinians, many for up to the tenth time. By 19 August, Israel had subjected around 86% (314km²) of Gaza’s territory to evacuation orders (OCHA 23/08/2024 and 19/08/2024). Israel is directing evacuated civilians towards Al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone whose area has decreased to just over 41km² (11% of Gaza’s territory) from 50km² in July (OCHA 22/08/2024). By 16 August, the estimated population density in Al-Mawasi was around 35,000–40,000 people/km², compared with around 1,200 people/km² pre-7 October 2023 (OCHA 19/08/2024; Health Cluster 16/08/2024). For comparison, the population density in Israel is 433 people/km² and from 43–48 people/km² across the Middle East and North Africa (WB accessed 23/08/2024 a).
The most recent evacuation orders have significantly disrupted humanitarian operations in Deir al-Balah, which was previously part of an Israeli-designated humanitarian safe zone and is one of the last areas in Gaza that has the infrastructure and warehouses required to store humanitarian supplies (ACF et al. 22/08/2024; AJ 22/08/2024).