According to eyewitness reports, thousands of Palestinians are once once more on the run due to heavy fighting in the area of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Many fled in cars or on foot towards the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt. The UN emergency relief office OCHA said overnight that evacuation calls from the Israeli army affected an area of around four square kilometers in Khan Younis.
There are around 88,000 residents in the region, plus an estimated 425,000 internally displaced people who sought protection in 24 schools and other facilities. Three hospitals with a total capacity of 625 beds are also affected. Around 18,000 internally displaced people sought protection in the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis alone. According to UN estimates, 1.7 million of the 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip have become internally displaced people as a result of the war and have had to leave their homes.
Khan Younis is considered a stronghold of the Islamist Hamas. Israel suspects that the leadership of the terrorist organization as well as Israeli hostages are in the tunnel network in the area. The Israeli army said it surrounded the heavily contested city on Tuesday.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday evening that more than 100 terrorists had been “eliminated” in the west of the city. The Israeli army said yesterday it was continuing to intensify operations once morest Hamas in Khan Younis. “The troops killed many terrorist cells with sniper, tank and air fire,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Egypt accused Israel of delaying international aid deliveries to the Palestinians in Gaza. The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will be open around the clock, said Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. But Israel is hindering the process with its procedures for importing the goods. “In this way they are exerting pressure on the issue of the hostages’ release.”
“Day of Wrath” in Israel
Thousands of women demonstrated in Israel yesterday demanding a quick deal to release hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The organizers had announced a nationwide “Day of Rage”.
The demonstrators blocked streets and intersections in various locations, including Tel Aviv. “Women take to the streets to retrieve female hostages,” read one of the signs. Several media outlets recently reported on hopes for another deal to release hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners and a longer ceasefire.
