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Israeli Forces Intensify Offensive in Khan Younis Amid Ongoing Conflict
CAIRO (Reuters) – In a significant escalation of military activity, Israeli forces have deployed tanks further into Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, while conducting aerial strikes across the area as they confront Hamas-led militants. According to medical sources, this onslaught resulted in the deaths of at least 34 Palestinians on Wednesday.
Witnesses in Khan Younis reported that the Israeli military made an unexpected incursion into the heart of the city, prompting an evacuation order in the eastern parts. This directive forced numerous families to flee in search of safety, leaving some residents trapped within their homes.
Medical officials in Gaza confirmed that the airstrikes in Khan Younis alone claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals. Meanwhile, in the central region of Deir Al-Balah, an Israeli airstrike targeting an area near a school accommodating displaced families led to the deaths of eight Palestinians.
Further tragedy struck in Nuseirat, where journalist Mohammed Abed-Rabbo and his sister lost their lives in an Israeli strike on their residence. The Gaza-based media office, controlled by Hamas, reported that Abed-Rabbo’s death raised the toll of journalists killed by Israeli fire to 172 since the conflict escalated on October 7.
Recently, the Israeli government has issued a series of evacuation orders across the Gaza Strip, marking the most extensive evacuation efforts since the beginning of this prolonged conflict, which has now lasted close to 11 months. These measures have sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders, humanitarian organizations, and the United Nations, who express grave concerns about the shrinking humanitarian zones and the increasingly dire situation for civilians seeking refuge.
The Israeli military has stated that these evacuation orders are aimed at areas identified as operational bases for Hamas and other militant groups, from which attacks against Israel, including rocket launches, have been initiated.
On the ground, the armed factions of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad reported ongoing confrontations with Israeli troops in various regions of Gaza, characterized by the use of anti-tank missiles and mortar barrages.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, the war has resulted in the deaths of over 40,500 Palestinians, underscoring the devastating impact on the territory. The densely populated enclave remains in ruins, with the majority of its 2.3 million residents subject to multiple displacements and facing severe shortages of essential supplies, including food and medical provisions, as reported by humanitarian agencies.
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