Displaced for a second time, Palestinians attempted to set up tents in Deir al-Balah as Israel continued preparations for a ground attack on Rafah.
Israel urged Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate to an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi on Saturday, May 11.
Zeinab al-Kahloot, among those who fled Rafah, was seen stitching her worn-out tent at a camp in Deir al-Balah. ‘Israeli forces dropped flyers on us four times; by the fourth, we had to move. When I arrived, my tent was already worn out,’ she said, surrounded by her children. ‘Like everyone else who left Rafah, we came here and are displaced again, but there’s no safe place. The situation is really hard,’ Kahloot added.
Residents reported that the new evacuation orders from the Israeli military targeted central Rafah, reinforcing fears of an expanded ground offensive.
Despite intense U.S. pressure and concerns raised by residents and humanitarian organizations, Israel has stated its intent to proceed with the incursion into Rafah. Over 1 million people displaced by the seven-month-old conflict have sought refuge in the area.
