Israel begins major offensive in Gaza City – DW – 08/22/2025

Israel’s new ground offensive in Gaza City threatens to displace Palestinians to areas that are unsafe, overcrowded and lack adequate supplies, a Palestinian NGO chief told DW.

“We have high concerns about the lives of tens of thousands of people who could be killed,” Amjad Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network, said from Gaza City.

“And at the same time, forcible displacement of about 1,000,000 Palestinians to the south area where it’s no space in that area, no infrastructure, no facilities, no tents, nothing.”

Shawa said there were already a large number of displaced Palestinians in the south of the Gaza Strip, and that ordering more Palestinians to evacuate south would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis there.

“Israelis are sending messages to go to an area called Al Mawasi, which is west of Khan Younis, which is overwhelmed by 600,000 people who are displaced from Rafah, from Khan Younis, and every day this area is under Israeli attack,” Shawa said.

“It’s an unsafe area and there is no space for any tents to be put there.”

Shawa called on the international community to push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

“This is real time for the international community to act to stop this military operation and to go back to ceasefire negotiations in order to have an end to this war,” he said.