The Civil Defense Authority in the Gaza Strip said on Saturday that the Israeli occupation forces reduced the area of the humanitarian zone in the Strip from 230 km to 35 km.

The agency stated in a press release that at the beginning of the Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in early November 2023, the occupation forced hundreds of thousands of civilians in the northern Gaza Strip to flee to the southern areas, claiming that they were “safe humanitarian” areas. Their area was 230 square kilometers, or 63% of the area of the Gaza Strip, and included agricultural lands, commercial, economic and service facilities with an area of 120 square kilometers.

He added: At the beginning of last December, when it invaded Khan Yunis Governorate, the Israeli occupation reduced these areas, which it claims are “safe humanitarian,” to 140 square kilometers, representing 38.3% of the total area of the Strip, and includes agricultural areas, economic, commercial, and service facilities.

Last May, when it invaded Rafah Governorate, the Israeli occupation reduced the humanitarian area to 79 square kilometers, or 20% of the area of the Strip, and it also continued to include agricultural lands, service, commercial and economic facilities, as the statement indicates.

He continued: In mid-June, the occupation also increased its reduction of the humanitarian area to reach 60 square kilometers, or 16.4% of the total area of the Gaza Strip, including areas of roads, streets, services, agricultural pools, cemeteries, and other lands that cannot be safe shelter areas.

He said: In mid-July, the occupation reduced the area it claims is safe humanitarian to 48 square kilometers, or 13.15% of the total area of the Gaza Strip, which also includes service, commercial and economic areas and facilities.

He added: During August 2024, the Israeli occupation reduced the "humanitarian" areas to 35 square kilometers, equivalent to 9.5% of the total area of the Strip, including approximately 3.5% agricultural, service and commercial areas.