By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) -Israel expanded evacuation orders in Khan Younis within the southern Gaza Strip in a single day, forcing tens of hundreds of Palestinian residents and displaced households to depart at midnight as explosions from tank shelling reverberated round them.
The Israeli army mentioned it was attacking militants from the Hamas group – which administered Gaza earlier than the conflict – who had been utilizing these areas to stage assaults and fireplace rockets.
On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike on a college the place displaced Palestinians had been sheltering in Gaza Metropolis killed not less than 90 folks, in response to the civil defence service, prompting a global outcry.Â
The Israeli army mentioned it had struck a Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant command publish, an allegation the 2 teams rejected as a pretext, and killed 19 militants.
In Khan Younis within the south of the Gaza Strip, the evacuation instruction coated districts within the centre, east and west, making it one of many largest such orders within the 10-month-old battle, two days after tanks returned to the east of town.
The announcement was posted on X and in textual content and audio messages to residents’ telephones: “For your own safety, you must evacuate immediately to the newly created humanitarian zone. The area you are in is considered a dangerous combat zone.”
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations’ company for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, mentioned folks in Gaza had been trapped and had nowehere to go.
“Some are only able to carry their children with them, some carry their whole lives in one small bag. They are going to overcrowded places where shelters are already overflowing with families. They have lost everything and need everything,” he mentioned.
The Israeli military mentioned it had struck round 30 Hamas army targets within the earlier 24 hours, together with army constructions, anti-tank missile launch posts, and weapons storage amenities.
The Islamic Jihad armed wing mentioned fighters fired mortar bombs in opposition to Israeli forces massing within the jap areas of Khan Younis.
Afterward Sunday, an Israeli airstrike close to the Khan Younis market on the heart of town killed 4 Palestinians and wounded a number of others, medics mentioned.
Strains of smoke rose from areas the place Israeli planes carried assaults within the jap and western elements of town. Residents mentioned two multi-floor buildings had been bombed.
Almost 40,000 Palestinians have been killed within the Israeli offensive in Gaza for the reason that conflict broke out final October and the toll is rising by the day, the Gaza well being ministry says.
Gaza well being officers say a lot of the fatalities have been civilians however Israel says not less than a 3rd are fighters. Israel says it has misplaced 329 troopers in Gaza.   Â
Israel started its assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and capturing greater than 250 hostages, in response to Israeli tallies.
TENS OF THOUSANDS FORCED TO LEAVE OVERNIGHTÂ Â
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million folks have been displaced from their properties, in response to the United Nations, whereas their slim strip of land has largely been diminished to a wasteland of rubble.
Palestinian and United Nations officers say there are not any protected areas within the enclave. Areas designated as humanitarian zones, like Al-Mawasi in western Khan Younis the place residents had been being despatched, have been bombed a number of occasions by Israeli forces.
Tens of hundreds left their properties and shelters in the course of the night time, heading west towards Mawasi and north towards Deir Al-Balah, already overcrowded with tons of of hundreds of displaced folks.
“We’re exhausted. This is the 10th time I and my family have had to leave our shelter,” mentioned Zaki Mohammad, 28, who lives within the Hamad housing mission in western Khan Younis, the place the occupants of two multi-floor buildings had been ordered to depart.
“People are carrying their belongings, their children, their hopes and their fears and running towards the unknown, because there is no safe place,” he informed Reuters through a chat app. “We are running from death to death.”Â
(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Modifying by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan)
