Ankara: The Israeli army on Sunday issued a new evacuation order to residents in the southwestern parts of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza as it expands its offensive in the area.

According to Anadolu Agency, in a statement, army spokesperson Avichay Adraee instructed civilians located in residential blocks between 130 and 2351, 'including those sheltering in tents,' to leave the area and head south toward al-Mawasi in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The Al-Mawasi zone, repeatedly designated by the Israeli army as a 'safe zone,' has become severely overcrowded, with tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in dire humanitarian conditions.

Despite being labeled a 'safe zone,' al-Mawasi has been bombed multiple times over the course of the war, with Israeli airstrikes killing hundreds of civilians sheltering there. A military statement noted that Israeli fighter jets launched 75 airstrikes across the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. The army also claimed to have assassinated Bashar Thabet, whom it identified as a Hamas commander in Gaza.

The Israeli army has pursued an offensive in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The bombardment has devastated the enclave, causing food shortages and the spread of disease. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.