Israel orders 1.8 million Palestinians to evacuate to area smaller than Heathrow airport

The Israeli army has ordered the 1.8 million Palestinians in Khan Younis to evacuate to a so-called "humanitarian zone" in al-Mawasi area, which is half the size of the UK's Heathrow airport.

Aid workers and residents describe the area as a sandy strip of land with no infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands crammed in makeshift shelters.

"As civilians in Gaza keep being evacuated from the north to the south, they are directed by the Israeli army towards the al-Mawasi area, a declared safe zone. But the area is nothing more than a sandy strip of land for people to enjoy the summer with no infrastructure at all," a global gender advisor with British charity OXFAM Fidaa al-Araj said.

“Before the war started, the al-Mawasi was just a strip of land on the beach, not a residential area … there are no infrastructure or any buildings,” she said in an interview with Al Jazeera

“There is no water to drink, no easy routes for transportation, no electricity or supply lines for power – it’s very difficult,” al-Araj added.

Residents are forced to live in squalid conditions, with up to four rows of tents reaching the seawater's edge. 

Humanitarian agencies have condemned the situation, urging improved conditions and an end to the violence.

The so-called safe zone has been targeted repeatedly by the Israeli army, raising questions about its safety. 

The Israeli military, in May, air strike the area, killing at least 21 Palestinians.

In June, the occupation army killed at least 25 people and injured 50 others.

The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has had a devastating impact, killing 38,000 Palestinians and injuring tens of thousands more. 

The population of Gaza has decreased from 2.3 million to 2.1 million, according to recent estimates by the UN humanitarian community.

Despite the devastation, Hamas has not backtracked from its commitment to make Palestine an independent state. 

"We will not surrender our homes, our land, or our rights," a Hamas spokesperson said.