05/02/2025

Once Again, Israel Redraws Gaza Map

The latest version limits Palestinians to just one-third of the enclave

In the six weeks since Israel resumed its war in Gaza, Israeli forces have dramatically altered its map, declaring about 70 percent of the enclave either a military "red zone" or under evacuation, according to the United Nations, and pushing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into ever-shrinking pockets.

The Israeli military says its evacuation orders, which have been deemed illegal by outside groups like NATO, allow civilians to flee ahead of fighting, and states those who remain could be considered combatants. In practice, Palestinians say, the evacuation orders often force them to flee under fire. Recent evacuation orders have covered border areas and population centers and have displaced more than 420,000 people, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In addition, Israel has enlarged its "security zone," also called a buffer zone, along Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt. The military says the move is meant to prevent a Hamas attack similar to the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.