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Hamas's last stronghold: Why the IDF steered clear of Deir al-Balah
Deir al-Balah is an important area of Gaza because it has been left relatively untouched throughout the war. This is the last real remaining area of Hamas' power.
The IDF issued an evacuation order for part of Deir el-Balah on Sunday and followed it up with a wave of airstrikes on Monday.
According to reports, the IDF could launch or expand operations in this area. Deir el-Balah is one of the four 'central camps' of Gaza. The military has not operated in most of these areas throughout the over 650-day war. There are many reasons for this, one of which is apparently concern that Hamas holds hostages in the central camps area.
The camps include Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, El-Bureij, and Maghazi. This is a sizable area of Gaza, perhaps 10% of the overall area of the strip. They are towns built up around refugee camps established after 1948 when large numbers of Arabs fled to Gaza from areas that became Israel.
Initially very small, the Deir el-Balah camp grew in recent years. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency notes that 'Deir El-Balah refugee camp is the smallest refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, west of a town of the same name, in central Gaza. Deir el-Balah means 'Monastery of the Dates,' a reference to the abundant date palm groves in the area.' The word 'Deir' in Arabic usually means 'monastery,' even if there isn't an actual monastery there currently.
Deir el-Balah is on the coast. To its east is the Salah al-Din Road, which runs the length of Gaza. To its north is Nuseirat, and across the road are Maghazi and Bureij, which are closer to the Israeli border.
Nuseirat and Bureij border the Netzarim Corridor area, which was held by the IDF until the January ceasefire, when the military pulled back. This enabled Gazans to move back to Gaza City from central Gaza and the al-Mawasi humanitarian area. Deir el-Balah is on the coastal road that leads to the al-Mawasi area. As such, it sits on two key roads that run the length of Gaza.
The area has largely been spared during the war
Deir el-Balah has generally been free from heavy fighting in the war. In April 2024, when the IDF mistakenly killed members of the World Central Kitchen aid group, the strike took place near Deir el-Balah. The group had been accompanying trucks to a warehouse in the area.
The IDF also freed four hostages – Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan, and Andrey Kozlov, from Nuseirat in a June 2024 raid.
This is one of the reasons it has been assumed that hostages may be present in the camp areas. Hamas has strong support in the camps. The terror group emerged from many of the refugee camps, and it has used them to recruit.
Therefore, it is assumed that this is the homeland of Hamas. Throughout the war, Hamas has basically run a rump state of Gaza from the four camps, in addition to parts of Gaza City throughout the war.
It was not always clear why the IDF did not enter the camps in the past. It may have been the hostages, but there may be other reasons.
The area sits between Gaza City and Khan Yunis. The IDF operated many times in Khan Yunis, as well as in places like Jabalya and Shejaia. The IDF cleared out many other UNRWA camps in Gaza. It is not the camps themselves that the IDF was so concerned about.
Nevertheless, the four central camps, which are basically towns and urban areas, have been left mostly unscathed by the war. The decision to ask people to evacuate an area of the coast between Deir el-Balah and al-Mawasi could be a way to pressure Hamas as ceasefire talks stall.
The IDF seems to believe that it controls around 70-75% of Gaza since Operation Gideon's Chariots began in May. The operation was supposed to clear and hold most of Gaza, but it's not clear if the 70% is truly controlled. Hamas continues attacks in southern Gaza and areas of northern Gaza, and Beit Hanun recently had to be reconquered.
Deir el-Balah is an important area of Gaza because it has been left relatively untouched throughout the war. Hamas has held on to this redoubt, and the terror group will want to hold on to the central camps. This is the last real remaining area of Hamas power.
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