Israeli authorities are preparing to operate eight emergency food distribution centers across the Gaza Strip within about six weeks, according to a report in Israel Hayom that was cited by international outlets.
The planned expansion of distribution points is tied to "Operation Gideon’s Chariots II," during which Israel reportedly intends to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza City to the southern part of the coastal territory. Israel Hayom and sources familiar with the plans said three distribution points are currently operating after one was closed, and that two additional sites in the Tel Sultan neighborhood near Rafah will be completed in the coming days. Three more centers are expected to follow, for a total of eight facilities to be managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
According to the report, the existing distribution points include a site in Gaza City’s Saudi neighborhood, one near the Israeli Defense Forces' Netzarim Corridor just south of Gaza City, and another near the Morag Corridor that divides areas between Khan Yunis and Rafah. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is identified as the body that will manage the network of centers as the population is expected to concentrate in the southern Strip.
The plan reflects preparations for large-scale population movements already signaled by Israeli military planning. Israel Hayom described the operation as involving evacuations from the north and central Gaza areas; the newspaper account said the aim is to relocate residents to the south and establish means for food provision there. Details in the report were described as coming from sources involved in the logistics.
Humanitarian access and the delivery of aid have been persistent concerns during the conflict, with international organizations repeatedly urging safe corridors and unobstructed distribution of food, water and medical supplies. Local and international agencies have faced constraints including security risks, damaged infrastructure and restrictions on movement, factors that complicate efforts to scale assistance to meet the needs of displaced populations.
The timeline set out in the Israel Hayom account places the opening of all eight centers at roughly six weeks from the report, with the two Tel Sultan sites to come online first. The sources said three of the centers are already functioning after the closure of one earlier distribution point.
The report did not provide detailed operational plans, security arrangements or independent verification of the numbers of people expected to move. Representatives of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation did not immediately provide comment to international media, and the claims in the Israel Hayom report have not been independently verified by other news organizations.
Aid groups and monitoring organizations continue to track displacement patterns, humanitarian needs and access challenges in Gaza as conflict dynamics evolve. The proposed expansion of distribution points, if implemented, would aim to concentrate food assistance in areas where authorities expect larger concentrations of displaced residents.