The expanded evacuation orders apply to the city of Rafah at Gaza's southernmost tip, where more than 1 million Palestinians have gathered after fleeing Israeli bombardment elsewhere over the past seven months. They have deepened fears that the Israeli military is set to proceed with an invasion of Rafah, which Israeli leaders have long promised, a prospect that international aid groups and many countries have condemned.

Some 150,000 people have already fled Rafah over the past six days, according to UNRWA, the U.N. agency that aids Palestinians.

"It's such a difficult situation. The number of people displaced is very high, and none of them know where to go, but they leave and try to get as far away as possible," said Mohammad al-Masri, a 31-year-old accountant who is sheltering with his family in a tent in Rafah. "Fear, confusion, oppression, anxiety is eating away at people."

Charles Michel, president of the European Council, criticized the expanded evacuation order Saturday on social media, saying, "Evacuation orders for civilians trapped in Rafah to unsafe zones are unacceptable."

Israel seized control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Monday in what it called a "limited operation," and stepped-up bombardment and fighting have continued in and around the city since then.

The Israeli military has said it is carrying out "precise operations in specific areas of eastern Rafah" targeting Hamas. But the majority of the more than 34,000 Palestinians reported killed in Gaza have been women and children, according to local health officials. Dozens have been killed by Israeli strikes in Rafah since Monday, health officials say.

Most of Gaza's 2.2 million residents have been forced to leave their homes, often multiple times throughout the war, with many now living in ramshackle tents, classrooms or overcrowded apartments.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said in a statement that it "called on the population from additional areas in eastern Rafah to temporarily evacuate to the expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi," a coastal area north of Rafah.

"So far," the military added, "approximately 300,000 Gazans have moved toward the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi."

Although Israel has characterized Al-Mawasi as a humanitarian zone, the U.N. has stressed that the area is neither safe nor equipped to receive the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians already displaced by the war.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated dramatically as the conflict with Israel shows no signs of abating. With the recent expansion of evacuation orders, the situation in Rafah is particularly dire. Humanitarian organizations are stretching their resources thin to provide shelter, food, and medical aid to an ever-growing number of refugees.

The physical and mental well-being of the displaced population has become a significant concern. Traumatized by the violence and uprooted from their homes, many people are in urgent need of psychological support. Reports from aid workers on the ground indicate that the psychological toll of this conflict will be a long-lasting and pervasive issue.

International reaction to the unfolding situation has been mixed. While some countries and organizations have condemned the escalation and called for an immediate ceasefire, others have taken a more measured stance, urging dialogue and a political solution to the longstanding conflict. Amid these diplomatic complexities, those on the ground are grappling with a devastating reality that seems to be worsening by the day.

Efforts to broker a ceasefire have met with repeated setbacks. Diplomats from the United Nations and several Arab countries are attempting to negotiate a halt to the hostilities, but the trust between the warring parties is exceedingly low, complicating any potential agreement. Meanwhile, the international community is increasingly worried about the potential for an even greater humanitarian disaster.

The infrastructure in Gaza, which has been under blockade for years, was already fragile before the latest round of hostilities. Now the relentless bombardment has left much of it in ruins. Hospitals, already overburdened by the influx of casualties, are running out of essential supplies. Water and electricity infrastructure has been severely damaged, leading to shortages that impact not only the health sector but also the population's ability to cope with the difficult conditions.

Education has been another casualty of the conflict. With schools turned into shelters and many children displaced, the interruption to their education could have long-term effects on Gaza's future. The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the war's impact on children, who are at risk of becoming a lost generation due to the trauma and disruption they have experienced.

Gaza's economy, meanwhile, has been shattered. The bombardment has disrupted trade and agriculture, further impoverishing a population already dealing with high unemployment and poverty. The reconstruction of Gaza's economy will be an enormous challenge that will likely take years, if not decades, to overcome.

Human rights organizations are calling for an immediate end to the hostilities and are urging the international community to hold those responsible for any war crimes accountable. They advocate for a significant increase in humanitarian aid and support for Gaza's civilian population, and stress the importance of upholding international law in times of conflict.

As the world watches the crisis unfold, there is a pressing need for a negotiated settlement that addresses the underlying issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only a sustained and genuine effort to achieve peace can ensure that future generations do not endure the same hardships and violence that so many are suffering from today.