Israel orders fresh evacuations in Gaza

The Israeli army ordered a fresh evacuation of areas in southern and central Gaza previously designated as a humanitarian safe zone yesterday, saying the areas had been used by Hamas as a base for firing mortars and rockets towards Israel.

It said warning flyers and text messages had been sent out in the area north of the southern city of Khan Younis and in the eastern part of Deir Al-Balah, where tens of thousands of people have sought shelter from fighting in other parts of Gaza.

“The advance warning to civilians is being issued in order to mitigate harm to the civilian population and to enable civilians to move away from the combat zone,” the military said in a statement.

• New US proposal builds on previous agreements
• Hamas rejects ‘new conditions’ in proposed deal
• Death toll in Gaza rises to 40,022

Earlier the military said it had hit an area in Khan Younis from where rockets were fired towards the community of Kissufim on Thursday, finding weapons including shoulder-fired missiles and explosives.

The latest evacuation warnings came as ceasefire talks in Doha were paused yesterday with negotiators set to meet again next week in search of an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages, mediators said.

In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps between the sides in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal.

Mediators would continue to work on the proposal in coming days, they said. Hamas will not accept “new conditions” from Israel in a proposal put forward during talks in Doha, officials told AFP.

Israel, meanwhile, pressed its assault on Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry said the military strikes across the enclave killed at least 17 Palestinians yesterday.

Among them, at least six Palestinians were killed on Thursday night in an Israeli air strike on a house in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli troops earlier hit targets in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. In a statement issued late on Thursday on Telegram, Hamas politburo member Hossam Badran said Israel’s continuing operations were an obstacle to progress on a ceasefire, reports Reuters.

Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza has killed at least 40,022 Palestinians since October 7, the health ministry said.

The White House on Thursday condemned what it called “unacceptable” attacks on Palestinians by Jewish settlers, after one person was killed and another wounded in a village in the occupied West Bank.

Footage shared on social media showed cars and houses on fire following the attacks.