Israel readies new Gaza offensive amid starvation and deaths at aid centers

Israel issued an evacuation order for Palestinians in central Gaza on Sunday, warning of imminent action against Hamas in a zone they had not "operated before".

The military's Arabic-language spokesman said on social media that residents and displaced Palestinians sheltering in the Deir el-Balah area should leave immediately.

Israel was "expanding its activities" around Deir el-Balah, including "in an area where it has not operated before", Avichay Adraee said, telling Palestinians to "move south toward the al-Mawasi area" on the Mediterranean coast "for your safety".

Most of Gaza's population of more than two million people have been displaced at least once during the war, which is now in its 22nd month, with repeated Israeli evacuation calls covering large parts of the coastal territory.

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in January that more than 80 percent of the Gaza Strip was under unrevoked Israeli evacuation orders.

Families of hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel that triggered the war expressed their fears of an expansion of the Israeli offensive.

In a statement released by a campaign group, they called for Israeli authorities to "urgently explain to Israeli citizens and families what the fighting plan is and how exactly it protects the abductees who are still in Gaza."

Delegations from Israel and Hamas have spent the last two weeks in indirect talks for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 10 living hostages.

Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas' 2023 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

Deadly food points

Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defense agency said late on Saturday Israeli fire killed 39 people and wounded over 100 near two aid centers.

Deaths of people waiting for handouts in huge crowds near food points in Gaza have become a regular occurrence, with the territory's authorities frequently blaming Israeli fire.

The U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has replaced UN agencies as the main distributor of aid in the territory, has accused Hamas of fomenting unrest and shooting at civilians.

Civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the deaths happened near a site southwest of Khan Younis and another center northwest of Rafah, both in southern Gaza, attributing the fatalities to "Israeli gunfire".

In response, the Israeli military said it "identified suspects who approached them during operational activity in the Rafah area, posing a threat to the troops".

Soldiers called for them to turn back and "after they did not comply, the troops fired warning shots", it said, adding that it was aware of the reports about casualties. They said the incident was "under review."

GHF said reports of deaths near its sites were "false".

It added: "We have repeatedly warned aid-seekers not to travel to our sites overnight and early morning hours."

Many aid-seekers have been getting to centers as soon as possible, with residents saying it was becoming impossible to find essential food such as flour. The Gaza health ministry said at least 71 children had died of malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition.

Food prices have increased well beyond what most of the population of more than two million can afford. Several people who spoke to the Reuters news agency via chat apps said they either had one meal or no meal in the past 24 hours.

"As a father, I wake up in the early morning to look for food, for even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain," said Ziad, a nurse. "People who didn't die of bombs will die of hunger. We want an end to this war now, a truce, even for two months."

Others said they felt dizzy walking in the streets and that many fainted as they walked. Fathers leave tents to avoid questions by their children about what to eat.

UNRWA, the UN refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, demanded Israel allow more aid trucks into Gaza, saying it had enough food for the entire population for over three months which was not allowed in.

"The Israeli Authorities are starving civilians in #Gaza. Among them are 1 million children. Lift the siege: allow UNRWA to bring in food and medicines," it wrote on X on Sunday.

Israel has denied accusations it is preventing aid from reaching Gaza and has accused Hamas of stealing food, an allegation Hamas denies. It also says the United Nations has not picked up aid ready to move into Gaza.