Not less than 70 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 200 wounded in Israel’s newest assault on the Khan Younis space of southern Gaza, as Palestinians fleeing Israeli tank shelling and air strikes have described the scenario as “doomsday”.
“Because of the assaults and massacres by the Israeli occupation in Khan Yunis Governorate for the reason that early hours of this morning till now, 70 folks have been martyred and greater than 200 have been injured,” the Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned in a press release on Monday, including that among the many useless have been girls and kids.
Residents within the densely populated southern Gaza space mentioned tanks superior greater than two kilometers towards Bani Suheila, on the japanese fringe of Khan Younis, forcing residents to flee beneath enemy fireplace. Israel’s third assault on the southern city started shortly after Palestinians have been ordered to depart the world, which has been designated a “secure zone,” leaving little time for folks to get to security.
Palestinians have been killed by Israeli tank shelling in Bani Suheila and different cities east of Khan Younis, and the world was additionally bombed from the air, medics mentioned.
“It’s like doomsday,” a resident who gave his identify solely as Abu Khaled informed Reuters information company by way of a chat app. “Individuals are fleeing beneath enemy fireplace. Many are useless and wounded on the roads.”
The Nasser medical complicated in Khan Younis is overflowing with sufferers and the injured are being handled on the ground. Medical doctors on the medical centre mentioned the scenario was “uncontrolled”.
Displaced Palestinians
Earlier on Monday, the Israeli army ordered Palestinians in al-Mawasi, which lies alongside the Gaza coast between the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, to depart.
Israel justified its new operation within the space by saying that Palestinian fighters have been utilizing the world to launch assaults towards Israeli forces. In a press release, it urged the inhabitants to maneuver from the east of Khan Younis to the west of the “al-Mawasi adjusted humanitarian zone.”
Nevertheless, many Palestinians are hesitant to hitch the rising tent camps in Al-Mawasi, which was declared a humanitarian zone in Could after a latest assault within the space killed no less than 92 folks and wounded greater than 300, in response to Well being Ministry figures. That assault sparked world outrage.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, mentioned the scenario was “deteriorating within the japanese areas of Khan Younis metropolis,” the place folks “have returned to reside within the stays of their destroyed houses and, once more, the army has introduced that it’s launching a brand new incursion.”
“However that occurred in a really quick time period they usually began bombing residential homes. Individuals have been inside. Later, the army began dropping leaflets. [to order an evacuation] within the japanese areas of Khan Younis,” he mentioned.
Some households fled in donkey carts and others on foot, carrying mattresses and different belongings.
Palestinians, the United Nations and worldwide assist businesses have mentioned there is no such thing as a secure place left in Gaza.
Hospitals are overwhelmed
The Palestinian Purple Crescent Society mentioned two of its clinics in japanese Khan Younis had been put out of service because of the new Israeli offensive.
On the Nasser Medical Complicated, some folks remained outdoors the morgue to bid farewell to their deceased family members.
“We’re drained. We’re drained in Gaza. On daily basis our youngsters are martyred, on daily basis, each second,” Ahmed Sammour, who misplaced a number of family members within the shelling in japanese Khan Younis, informed Reuters.
“No one informed us to evacuate. They introduced down 4 flooring on prime of the civilians… they usually took the our bodies they might attain to the fridge.” [morgue]“, Sammour added.
Hamas denounced the assault, saying it could not deter Palestinians from standing “agency on their land.”
“We name on the worldwide group and the United Nations to urgently intervene to cease the systematic Zionist homicide of our folks, who’re going through genocide,” the group mentioned in a press release on its Telegram channel.
Not less than 39,006 folks have been killed and 89,818 injured since Israel launched its conflict on Gaza in October.
The dying toll in Israel from the Hamas-led assaults on October 7 is estimated at 1,139, with dozens of individuals nonetheless held captive in Gaza.