TRANSCRIPT
The United Nations says 250,000 people live in the area of southern Gaza covered by the mass evacuation order issued by Israel.
It includes the area in and around Gaza's second-largest city, Khan Younis.
In April, Israel withdrew its forces from the area, declaring it had destroyed Hamas battalions.
Stephane Dujarric is the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.
He says the order, putting in place the third exodus in as many months, places Palestinians in an unfair position again.
"People are left with the impossible choice of having to relocate, some most likely for the second or even the third time, to areas that have barely any space or services, or stay in an area where they know the fighting will take place."
The UN's senior humanitarian and reconstruction co-ordinator for Gaza is Sigrid Kaag.
She says the latest phase of the conflict in Gaza comes at precisely the wrong time.
"With summer temperatures soaring and severe shortages of basic services such as waste management, sanitation facilities and water supplies, the spectre of outbreaks of infectious and communicable diseases looms large. Following the Israeli offensive against Rafah since the 6th of May, over 1 million people have been displaced once again, desperately seeking shelter and safety. 1.9 million people are now displaced across Gaza."
Even before the mass evacuation order could be actioned, Israel launched deadly air strikes, targeting several areas of Khan Younis and Rafah.
Health officials in Gaza say at least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded.
Israel's military says two of its soldiers were killed in battle a day earlier.
The Israeli military claims it is winding down the phase of intense fighting against Hamas, particularly in Rafah.
The Israeli military's chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, says it will soon move towards more targeted operations.
"When we move to the next phase, we will adapt appropriate measures for that phase, bring new tactics, provide logistical support in a different way that fits that phase, and all these things ultimately are focused by our determination, perseverance, and patience, wearing down the other side and accomplishing our missions."
UN officials and aid agencies say there is strong concern for what the evacuation order means for hospital patients in the last fully-functional hospital in Gaza, the European Hospital.
If it closes, Gaza will lose more capacity to provide specialised care, particularly for blast survivors.
According to World Health Organization, only one third of Gaza’s 36 hospitals still function - but at weakened levels.
Ali Abu Ismehan is an injured Palestinian man.
He says both his legs and his pelvis were broken in an Israeli attack.
After the evacuation order for Khan Younis, he says he's unsuccessfully tried to transfer from one hospital to another, giving a practical illustration to the humanitarian complaint that there is simply nowhere safe for people in Gaza to go.
"I was in Nasser Hospital here, when the Israeli forces came, and we were besieged for 15 days, then the Red Cross got us out. Then we went to the American Hospital at the sea where I stayed for two months. There was no progress in the American Hospital, so they referred me to the European Hospital, where I stayed for one month. After one month, there was an evacuation order for the European Hospital, so we came here, but they couldn’t take care of us in Nasser Hospital. I am staying outside, and no one is caring for us."
He says nearby countries, who often loudly claim to support the Palestinian cause, need to back up their words with action.
"I am calling on the Arab countries to provide us with treatment. There is no treatment or care for the wounded. The patients are in a difficult situation, they are left here, no one cares for them, and there is no treatment available."
One group who is taking action are Yemen's Houthi rebels.
They've been attacking shipping lanes since November - actions they say is motivated by showing solidarity with Gaza.
They now claim to have made an attack on the third-largest city in Israel, Haifa, with missiles.
Salvatore Mercogliano is a maritime historian at Campbell University in the United States.
He says, whatever one thinks of their actions, they have been effective.
"You can make the argument that they're being very effective about it. We've seen a substiantial reduction in the number ships in total tonnage heading through the area. We've just witnessed the withdrawal of the USS Eisenhower strike group. Now, it's supposed to be replaced by a new one, but it hasn't yet arrived. And we've seen an uptick in the level of attacks staged by the Houthi at this point, including the introduction of new, unmanned surface vessels."
