Palestinian International Organization for Peace and Human Rights

May 18, 2025

What happened?

Mid-May 2025 witnessed an expansion of the military offensive on areas in the northern Gaza Strip, coinciding with the announcement of a new phase of ground operations and air strikes.

Impact of the incident on civilians

Changing lines of military advance mean families lose their ability to plan safely to stay or leave, and increase the burdens of repeated displacement on children and the elderly.

Safety of displaced persons

International humanitarian law protects civilians wherever they reside, including those displaced within schools and tents. Evacuations and relocations of civilians are subject to strict conditions that cannot be overridden by general orders to leave.

What is needed to protect the population?

These developments necessitate careful monitoring of the facts related to the issue of “military expansion in northern Gaza forcing families to flee again,” making information available to affected families, providing treatment, relief or redress according to the nature of the damage, and distinguishing between proven information and legal characterization that requires a competent investigation.

Image: Illustrative archive image that does not necessarily depict the incident described in the article. Image data, photographer, and license on Wikimedia Commons