For weeks, claims circulated that Hamas headquarters were hidden beneath Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The public relations effort seemed designed to quiet Western voices while forces conducted operations that left many civilians, medical staff, and displaced people without electricity, food, or water. A few abandoned weapons were photographed at Al Shifa, and a disused tunnel was found just over a hundred meters away. The narrative then shifted. The focus moved south to Jan Yunis, the place where Israeli military sources say Hamas leaders are believed to be concealing themselves. Figures like Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif have ties to this southern city, lending weight to the new claim.
As tanks rolled into the second city of the Strip, where clashes already raged on the streets, new measures appeared. Evacuation orders targeted residents urged toward the south of Khan Younis by a mix of notices and bombardment. To complicate matters further, the military divided the area of interest into parcels, with the map of the Strip showing shifts in which zones were deemed safe and which needed to be cleared to accommodate advancing troops. The area adjacent to this border region spans roughly 110 square kilometers, a space Israel is pressing to clear for a potential civilian relocation. Population density in the plan would be heavy, with thousands packed into small pockets and corridors where safe movement is supposed to be possible, a scenario that has driven most residents to seek alternatives.
“Safe spaces” were described by a UNICEF spokesperson as places where access to food, water, medicine, and shelter should be guaranteed. James Elder emphasized the stark reality on the ground: many regions lack such resources. The southern area near Khan Younis, a place where a portion of the population has historically found shelter, has seen a surge of displaced people whose movement has stretched across borders and within Gaza itself.
A looming humanitarian emergency
Before the ceasefire halted, nearly half a million people had taken refuge in the southern enclave, swelling the area far beyond its normal population. Gaza sources report people sleeping in cars or on streets without reliable access to drinking water. Food distribution centers have not operated since the ceasefire ended, leaving a city facing waste accumulation and rising health risks. Humanitarian workers describe conditions many describe as dire and worsening, with diseases and hunger spreading rapidly as relief efforts falter.
The risk now is that the southern Gaza Strip could become uninhabitable. Reports indicate significant destruction to housing and infrastructure, echoing broader concerns about the long-term impact on education, agriculture, and essential services. A recent analysis indicated that a large portion of the built environment has sustained major damage, complicating recovery efforts and raising serious questions about the future of the region. Some observers suggest that without sustained international support, the displacement crisis could prompt further population movements and long-term instability.
Strategic aims and post-conflict questions
Officials have stated that military operations in Khan Younis and Jabalia in the north are intended to neutralize armed factions, with reports of ongoing clashes. Claims of securing key installations and disrupting command lines have circulated, even as battles continue at street level. The military argues that control over southern areas is essential to reducing ongoing militant activity, while opponents warn of heavy civilian harm and profound humanitarian consequences. In public discourse, the question remains what comes after the immediate conflict and how to ensure civilian safety and basic services in the aftermath.
Leaders have faced questions about post-conflict governance and security arrangements. While some officials have signaled a preference for demilitarization of certain zones, others have stressed the limits of external intervention and the necessity for regional responsibility. The discussion touches on how a lasting peace could be achieved without compromising human rights and without funneling people into more precarious living conditions. The current situation in Gaza underscores the fragility of civilian life amid shifting military objectives and the heavy burden borne by residents who strive to survive and rebuild in the face of relentless threats.