No less than 70 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 200 wounded in Israel’s newest assault on the Khan Younis space in southern Gaza as Palestinians fleeing Israeli tank shelling and air strikes have described the scenario as “doomsday”.
“Because of the Israeli occupation’s assaults and massacres in Khan Yunis governorate from the early hours of this morning till now, 70 individuals have been martyred and greater than 200 wounded,” Gaza’s Ministry of Well being mentioned in an announcement on Monday, including that the lifeless included girls and kids.
Residents of the densely built-up space of southern Gaza mentioned the tanks superior for greater than 2km (1.2 miles) into Bani Suheila on the japanese fringe of Khan Younis, forcing residents to flee below fireplace. Israel’s third assault on the southern metropolis started shortly after Palestinians had been ordered to depart the realm, which has been designated as “protected zone”, giving little time for individuals to search out security.
Palestinians had been killed by Israeli tank salvoes in Bani Suheila and different cities simply east of Khan Younis, and the realm was additionally bombarded by air, in accordance with medics.
“It’s like doomsday,” one resident who recognized himself solely as Abu Khaled instructed the information company Reuters by way of a chat app. “Persons are fleeing below fireplace. Many are lifeless and wounded on the roads.”
The Nasser Medical Advanced in Khan Younis has been overwhelmed with sufferers, and the wounded are being handled on the ground. Medics on the medical facility mentioned the scenario was “uncontrolled”.
Palestinians displaced
Earlier on Monday, the Israeli navy ordered Palestinians in al-Mawasi, which is situated alongside the Gaza coast between the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, to depart.
Israel justified its new operation there, saying Palestinian fighters have been utilizing the realm to launch assaults on Israeli forces. In an announcement, it urged individuals to relocate from japanese Khan Younis to the west of the “adjusted humanitarian space of al-Mawasi”.
Nevertheless, many Palestinians are hesitant to hitch the swelling tent camps in al-Mawasi, declared a humanitarian zone in Might, after a latest assault on the realm killed not less than 92 individuals and wounded greater than 300, in accordance with figures from the Well being Ministry. That assault precipitated world outrage.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah in Central Gaza, mentioned the scenario is “deteriorating within the japanese areas of Khan Younis metropolis”, the place the inhabitants “has returned to reside within the remnants of their destroyed homes – and, once more, the navy has introduced that they’re beginning a brand new incursion”.
“However that occurred in a really brief time period, they usually began to bombard residential homes. Individuals had been inside. Later, the navy began to drop leaflets [to order an evacuation] within the japanese areas of Khan Younis,” he mentioned.
Some households fled on donkey carts and others on foot, carrying mattresses and different belongings.
Palestinians, the United Nations and worldwide aid businesses have mentioned there is no such thing as a protected place left in Gaza.
Hospitals overwhelmed
The Palestinian Purple Crescent Society mentioned two of its clinics situated in japanese Khan Younis had been knocked out of operation due to the brand new Israeli offensive.
At Nasser Medical Advanced, some individuals stood exterior the morgue to bid farewell to lifeless family.
“We’re drained. We’re drained in Gaza. Each day our kids are martyred – every single day, each second,” Ahmed Sammour, who misplaced a number of family in bombings of japanese Khan Younis, instructed Reuters.
“Nobody instructed us to evacuate. They introduced 4 flooring crashing down on civilians, … and the our bodies they may attain, they dropped at the fridge [morgue],” Sammour added.
Hamas denounced the assault, stating that it could not deter Palestinians from remaining “steadfast of their land”.
“We name upon the worldwide group and the United Nations to urgently intervene to cease the systematic Zionist killing of our individuals, who’re going through a genocide,” the group mentioned in an announcement on its Telegram channel.
No less than 39,006 individuals have been killed and 89,818 injured since Israel launched its battle on Gaza in October.
The dying toll in Israel from Hamas-led assaults on October 7 is estimated at 1,139, and dozens of individuals are nonetheless being held captive in Gaza.
