The Israeli military has issued fresh evacuation orders for residents of Khan Yunis City in southern Gaza, as the conflict escalates and humanitarian conditions worsen.
The orders come after the retrieval of five Israeli bodies and warnings of new operations in the area.
According to the United Nations, over 180,000 Palestinians have already fled Khan Yunis since the military operation began last Monday, with “dire water, hygiene, and sanitation conditions” reported in the territory. The UN also warned that the evacuation orders and “intensified hostilities” have significantly destabilized aid operations.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported that an Israeli operation in Khan Yunis killed 70 people and wounded over 200 on Monday. The Israeli military said it would act to stop rocket fire coming from the area, which has seen heavy fighting since the October 7 attack by Hamas militants.
Witnesses and rescuers reported heavy battles around eastern Khan Yunis on Friday, with at least 16 bodies brought to the city’s Nasser Hospital. The war in Gaza has resulted in significant loss of life, with 1,197 people killed in Israel and at least 39,175 in Gaza, according to official figures.
