Gaza Aid workers told their sites may be struck

Humanitarian workers in northern Gaza have been repeatedly warned by the Israeli military that only hospitals will be considered protected sites and all other aid infrastructure could be targeted.

- Jason Burke

In messages and conversations with aid workers in recent days seen by the Guardian, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that an order to “all Gaza residents and inhabitants” to evacuate Gaza City applied “to all humanitarian locations [there], except hospitals” and warned that “to defeat Hamas [Israeli troops] will operate ... with great force”.

Yesterday, the IDF said it had expanded operations in Gaza City and bombarded “Hamas infrastructure”. Between a quarter and half a million of the city’s estimated million inhabitants have already fled but some displaced Palestinians traumatised by the advance said they had no means to leave.

Vehicles for the gruelling sixto eight-hour journey south can now cost as much as $2,000 (£1,480).

“The situation is really bad. All night long, the tank was firing shells,” said Toufic abu Mouawad, who left a camp for the displaced on the city’s outskirts but had nowhere else to go.

“I want to flee with the children. This is the situation that we are living in. It is a very tragic situation.”

Israeli officials said they were preparing a "humanitarian zone" in the overcrowded, underdeveloped alMawasi coastal area in southern Gaza by building new aid distribution sites nearby, supplying electricity to desalination plants, providing some water and allowing in more aid.