Gaza's Al-Mawasi: What is the 'humanitarian zone' struck by Israel's military?

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have repeatedly hit Al-Mawasi, a vast camp on sandy soil designated as a humanitarian area where the military has told hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to shelter since ordering them out of their homes.

Here are some facts about Al-Mawasi region:

* It stretches for 12 km (7 miles) along the coast, starting from the western areas of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza to Khan Younis and Rafah in the south.

* Al-Mawasi is known to Palestinians as the "Basket of Food", known for its fertile soil and sweet underground water, which made it the best fit for agriculture.

* Gaza measures 365 square kilometres or 141 square miles and Al-Mawasi makes around 3% of the enclave's size. Most of the land is sand hills.

* There are a small number of buildings there that may not exceed 100 structures and had a population of around 9,000 people before the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7.

* Al-Mawasi has been turned into the main displacement and refuge area for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who have been ordered by the Israeli army to leave their homes.

* In July, 90 Palestinians were killed in what Israel said was a strike that killed Hamas' elusive military chief Mohammed Deif at the eighth attempt. Hamas did not confirm Deif's death.

* Israel has accused Hamas of exploiting Al-Mawasi and other civilian areas for military purposes, an allegation Hamas denies.

The group has accused Israel of indiscriminate bombings in the military campaign.

* The United Nations humanitarian agency has said Gaza's population of 2.3 million is increasingly concentrated in the Israeli-designated zone in Al-Mawasi.

The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNWRA) estimates more than 1 million people are now sheltering in the area.