In a tragic turn of events, at least 28 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli air strikes on residential areas in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza. The attack, which targeted a neighborhood in Hamad and a house in the town of Khuza’a, has left dozens wounded and many trapped under the rubble. The majority of the victims are children, making this incident even more devastating.
According to Youmna ElSayed, reporting from Khan Younis, the bombing in Hamad took place on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of 28 people. However, the number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue. The director of Nasser Medical Complex in the south revealed that his facility received 26 bodies and 23 individuals with severe injuries after the strike in Hamad.
The situation in Gaza has worsened as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to relocate to the southern region, following Israel’s orders to evacuate the northern areas. The Israeli forces claimed that it would be safer for the residents, but now two-thirds of them find themselves homeless. Additionally, Israeli bombardments have intensified in the south, causing immense fear and distress among the population.
Residents in Khuzaa, Abassan, Bani Suheila, and al-Qarara have reported Israeli aircraft dropping thousands of leaflets, urging them to leave their homes for their own safety. The leaflets warned that anyone near terrorists or their facilities would be at risk, and every house used by terrorists would be targeted. This has left the residents in eastern Khan Younis uncertain about where they should seek refuge, as they were previously instructed to move to this region for safety.
Mark Regev, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, explained in an interview with a US broadcaster that the relocation request aims to protect civilians from being caught up in the crossfire. He revealed that Israeli troops plan to advance into the city to remove Hamas fighters from underground tunnels and bunkers, but such infrastructure is not present in less built-up areas to the west. Regev expressed hope that the western areas, where the residents are asked to move, would have tents and a field hospital. He also emphasized that these locations are closer to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, allowing for quicker humanitarian aid delivery.
However, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed concerns about the safety of any part of Gaza. He stated that currently, the organization does not consider any area in Gaza to be safe.
The recent escalation in violence has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, with over 12,000 people, including 5,000 children, losing their lives due to Israel’s bombardment since October 7. The Gaza Strip, home to approximately 2.3 million people, remains under siege, with its inhabitants living in constant fear and uncertainty.
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