Israel’s newest assault on the Khan Younis space of southern Gaza killed at the very least 70 Palestinians and injured greater than 200. Palestinians fleeing Israeli tank shelling and air strikes described the state of affairs as “apocalyptic.”
Gaza’s Ministry of Well being stated in a press release on Monday that “70 individuals have been killed and greater than 200 injured because of assaults and massacres carried out by the Israeli occupation forces in Khan Younis governorate from early this morning to the current day,” together with girls and kids.
Residents of densely constructed areas in southern Gaza stated tanks superior greater than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) towards Bani Suhayra on the jap fringe of Khan Younis, forcing residents to flee below fireplace. Israel’s third assault on the southern metropolis started shortly after Palestinians have been ordered to go away the realm, which had been designated a “protected zone” giving individuals little time to hunt security.
Palestinians in Bani Suhayra and different cities east of Khan Younis have been killed by volleys of Israeli tanks, and the realm additionally got here below aerial bombardment, medics stated.
“It is like the tip of the world,” a resident who gave his identify solely as Abu Khaled advised Reuters by way of a chat app. “Individuals have been fleeing below fireplace. Many individuals have been killed or injured on the highway.
The Nasser Medical Middle in Khan Younis is already overwhelmed with sufferers, and the injured are being handled on the ground. Medical employees at medical amenities stated the state of affairs was “uncontrolled.”
Palestinians displaced
Earlier on Monday, the Israeli navy ordered Palestinians in Mawasi, between the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah on the Gaza coast, to go away.
Israel defended its new operations there, saying Palestinian militants have been utilizing the realm to launch assaults towards Israeli forces. In a press release, it urged individuals to relocate from jap Khan Younis to the west of the “adjusted Mawasi Humanitarian Zone”.
Nonetheless, many Palestinians are hesitant to hitch the swelling tent camp in Mawasi, which was declared a humanitarian zone in Might after current assaults within the space killed at the very least 92 individuals, in line with well being ministry knowledge , greater than 300 individuals have been injured. That assault sparked world outrage.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, stated “the state of affairs is deteriorating within the jap a part of town of Khan Younis” the place individuals “have returned to their destroyed properties dwelling within the wreckage, and the navy as soon as once more introduced that they have been embarking on a brand new invasion.”
“But it surely occurred inside a brief time period, they began bombing homes. Individuals have been inside. Then the navy began distributing leaflets [to order an evacuation] Within the jap space of Khan Yunis,” he stated.
Some households fled in donkey carts, whereas others fled on foot carrying mattresses and different belongings.
Palestinians, the United Nations and worldwide help companies all say there isn’t a protected place in Gaza.
Hospitals are overcrowded
The Palestinian Purple Crescent stated its two clinics in jap Khan Younis had ceased operations because of the new Israeli offensive.
At Nasser Medical Middle, some stood outdoors the morgue to say goodbye to their useless family.
“We’re drained. We’re drained in Gaza. Our kids are being martyred daily, each second,” Ahmed Samour, who misplaced a number of family within the bombings in jap Khan Younis, advised Reuters .
“Nobody advised us to evacuate. They introduced 4 flooring down on civilians… and each physique they may attain was taken to the freezer. [morgue]”, Samour added.
Hamas condemned the assault, saying it could not deter Palestinians from “firmly holding on to their land.”
“We name on the worldwide group and the United Nations to urgently intervene to cease the systematic Zionist bloodbath of our individuals dealing with genocide,” the group stated in a press release on its Telegram channel.
Since Israel launched its battle on Gaza in October, at the very least 39,006 individuals have been killed and 89,818 injured.
The Israeli dying toll from the Hamas-led assault on October 7 is estimated at 1,139, and dozens stay imprisoned in Gaza.
