Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday rejected an Israeli plan to transfer civilians from Gaza City to the south of the enclave, saying the proposal amounts to a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands of residents. The militant organization dismissed Israel’s intention to erect tent camps and other shelters as “blatant deception” designed to mask an impending offensive. The Israel Defense Forces said it would begin deploying tents and other equipment to southern Gaza starting Sunday, describing the relocation as a humanitarian measure aimed at moving people out of combat zones. Earlier this month, Israeli officials signaled plans for a renewed push to seize control of northern Gaza City, the strip’s largest urban center. The relocation plan has heightened international alarm over the fate of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants, most of whom have already been displaced by 10 months of fighting. The war began when Hamas fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 251 on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s subsequent campaign has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and left much of the enclave in ruins amid a worsening hunger crisis.