Almost 100 strikes located in Gaza 'humanitarian zone', BBC Verify analysis suggests

A BBC Verify analysis reveals that areas of Gaza, where the Israeli military has directed people to go "for their safety," have been struck 97 times since May. Concurrently, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a breakthrough. Qatari mediators have stated that the talks are in their final stages, raising hopes for an agreement.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) first established "humanitarian zones" in October 2023, aiming to "protect" residents and "shield innocent civilians from harm." On May 6, 2024, the IDF significantly expanded this zone to include the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. This area, largely a narrow strip along the Mediterranean coast, is densely populated, with over a million people residing there according to estimates by international humanitarian organizations. Many live in tents with limited infrastructure and access to aid.

In a statement to BBC Verify, the IDF said they are targeting Hamas militants operating within the "humanitarian zone," accusing the group of violating international law by "using" civilians as human shields and launching rockets from the area. Israel launched its operation to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s October 7, 2023, attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 people taken hostage. The conflict has caused extensive damage to infrastructure in Gaza, with satellite images showing many areas flattened by Israeli strikes. The Hamas-run health ministry also reports that over 46,600 people have died in Gaza since the start of the war.

BBC Verify analysis indicates an escalation in attacks within the "humanitarian zone" since May 2024, with at least 22 strikes recorded so far this month. Local media reports suggest that over 550 people have died in the 97 attacks verified by BBC Verify. BBC Verify cannot confirm that all incidents were caused by IDF strikes. Israeli military officials have publicly acknowledged 28 strikes since May 6 but have not confirmed involvement in the other strikes documented by BBC Verify. Gavin Calehr, the Norwegian Refugee Council's (NRC) access manager in Gaza, stated that there are attacks "almost daily" in the area, including those from Israeli ships and quadcopters or small drones.

Calehr added, "Despite Israel unilaterally designating it as a 'humanitarian' area, the area still experiences frequent heavy shelling." He also stated, "The Israeli military seems keen to maintain the facade of a humanitarian zone, keeping it at a certain size, but the area is liable to 'evacuation orders' at any time and is also being targeted." Khaled Abdul Rahman, a resident living in the area, told the BBC that residents are bombed daily, often resulting in casualties. "We were moved to Khan Younis because it was designated a safe zone, but in fact, what we have found here is only unsafety," Rahman said. "We are deprived of real safety, and fear dominates our lives."

As Israel does not allow foreign journalists into Gaza, international media, including the BBC, rely on images collected by Palestinian journalists and residents in Gaza. To track attacks within the IDF's "humanitarian zone," BBC Verify monitored Palestinian social media channels and the IDF's official channels on Instagram, Telegram, and X. Reports of attacks containing verifiable images within the zone’s boundaries were cross-referenced with local media reports to determine reported fatalities. It is important to note that fatalities cannot be verified solely from videos and social media reports. BBC Verify analysis excluded reports of deaths where there were no verifiable images confirming that the incident occurred within the boundaries of the IDF-defined "humanitarian zone."

BBC Verify reviewed over 300 videos and photos posted from the "humanitarian zone" since May. While it was not always possible to distinguish between combatants and civilians, the footage shows many people, including women and children, being pulled from rubble. Some appeared to have lost their lives, while others were severely burned or had serious limb injuries, along with collapsed buildings, destroyed tents, and burned-out cars. Seven of the recorded attacks reportedly resulted in 20 or more deaths each, with the deadliest attack on July 13, which, according to the Gaza health ministry, paramedics, and medical staff, resulted in over 90 fatalities. The IDF later stated that Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif was among those killed. Deif was accused of being one of the masterminds of the October 7 attacks.

In Deir al-Balah, nine attacks occurred within 100 meters of the al-Aqsa Hospital building, and in Khan Younis, four attacks occurred within 150 meters of the Nasser Medical Complex. The IDF told BBC Verify that the strikes were "targeting terrorists and terror infrastructure, including rocket launchers, weapons storage and manufacturing sites, operational apartments, underground infrastructure, operational headquarters, and terrorist hiding places." They also provided links to six previously issued statements about Hamas militants operating within the "humanitarian zone." Residents in the area also live in constant uncertainty. The boundaries of the "humanitarian zone," including evacuation notices, have changed 20 times, varying in size from approximately 7 sq km (2.7 sq miles) when initially introduced to a maximum of 72 sq km (27.8 sq miles).

The IDF stated that evacuation notices "do not constitute a reduction of the humanitarian zone. Residents return once the danger has passed." However, it is unclear how residents know when it is safe to return, with the IDF only posting explicit messages that it was safe to return on social media twice. BBC Verify did not include attacks within the evacuated areas in our statistics. While the Israeli military avoids using the term "safe zone," their statements have led civilians to understand the "humanitarian zone" as a safe area. IDF evacuation notices include wording telling civilians—for example, in a notice issued in mid-December, "for your own safety, move immediately west to the humanitarian zone."

It also calls the area "designated for humanitarian aid and shelter, as part of the IDF's consistent efforts to protect the uninvolved population." However, the UN and international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza state that there is no unilaterally implemented "safe zone." Juliette Touma of the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, said, “We have said it many times. There is no safe zone in Gaza. Nowhere is safe. No one is safe. Nowhere is spared.”