Over 1mn Palestinians stay in northern Gaza despite evacuation orders

More than one million Palestinians remain in northern Gaza despite repeated Israeli evacuation orders, according to the territory’s Government Media Office.

The office said that of the 1.3 million residents in Gaza City and the northern towns, approximately 190,000 people have moved south, while 15,000 have returned to the north, citing difficult conditions in the designated “safe zones.”

Authorities stated that Israel has been striking areas such as Rafah and al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, locations where displaced residents were instructed to relocate.

“These areas completely lack the basic necessities of life, with no hospitals, no infrastructure, and no essential services such as water, food, shelter, electricity or education, making living there almost impossible,” the office said in a statement.