Hamas says Israeli plans to confine Palestinians is 'new wave of genocide'

Hamas said on Sunday that Israel's plan to concentrate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into one confined location in southern Gaza constituted a "new wave of genocide and displacement".

The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel in southern Gaza Strip was a "blatant deception".

Last month, Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, announced plans that would initially involve the ejection of 600,000 displaced Palestinians currently living in camps and makeshift homes in the al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza to an area in the ruins of Rafah city. 

Once they arrive in this new zone, security screenings would take place. They won’t be allowed to leave once they’ve entered, Katz said. 

Eventually, the entire civilian population of over two million in Gaza would be confined to this small “city”.