Israel calls for evacuations amid escalating Gaza offensive

Mourners pray by the bodies of victims killed by Israeli bombardment on Saturday, at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. PIC/AFP

The Israeli military published new evacuation warnings for areas of central Gaza on Sunday, in one of the few areas the military has rarely operated with ground troops. The evacuation cuts access between the city of Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow enclave. The area is also where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located.

The announcement comes as Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs. Meanwhile, at least 73 people were killed while attempting to access aid at locations across Gaza on Sunday, the health ministry in the Palestinian territory said.

The largest toll was in northern Gaza, where at least 67 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel, according to the ministry and local hospitals. More than 150 people were wounded, with some of them in critical condition, hospitals said. It wasn't clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs or both. But some witnesses said that the Israeli military shot at the crowd.

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