KUALA LUMPUR: Humanitarian organisation Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), has denounced Israel's recently introduced "Evacuation Zone Map" for Gaza residents.
Its chief executive Melanie Ward, expressed deep concern that the map is causing widespread distress among civilians, including her own staff.
"I cannot overstate the fear, panic and confusion that these Israeli maps are causing civilians in #Gaza, including my own staff.
"People cannot run from place to place to try to escape Israel's bombs, nor does international law expect them to. What is being done is unconscionable," she said in a post on X on Dec 3.
Ward's statement challenges the effectiveness and humanitarian implications of the map.
She contends that the civilian population is facing undue stress and hardship, as they grapple with the complexities of the evacuation zones amid ongoing conflict.
A British daily newspaper, The Guardian reported that Israel has initiated the implementation of a new grid system for issuing evacuation alerts in Gaza, dividing the area into more than 600 blocks.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have designed this to manoeuvre civilians within a confined battle space, directing them to vacate specific areas, some covering only a few blocks, as they target Hamas fighters.
"Reportedly, the map is intended to facilitate orders to evacuate specific areas ahead of their targeting. The publication does not specify where people should evacuate to.
"It is unclear how those residing in Gaza would access the map without electricity and amid recurrent telecommunications cuts," said the United Nations agency to The Guardian.