Israel storms Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing scores

GAZA:

Israeli forces stormed the principle metropolis within the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday and hospitals struggled to deal with scores of Palestinian lifeless and wounded.

In what gave the impression to be the largest floor assault since a truce collapsed final week, residents stated Israeli tanks had entered the japanese components of Khan Younis for the primary time, crossing from the Israeli border fence and advancing west.

Some took up positions contained in the city of Bani Suhaila on Khan Younis’ japanese outskirts, whereas others continued additional and had been stationed on the sting of a Qatari-funded housing growth referred to as Hamad Metropolis, residents stated.

After days of ordering residents to flee the world, Israeli forces dropped new leaflets on Tuesday with directions to remain inside shelters in the course of the assault.

“Within the coming hours, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will start launching an intensive assault in your space of residence to destroy the terrorist group Hamas,” stated the leaflets, addressed to residents of six districts amounting to round 1 / 4 of Khan Younis.

“In your security, keep within the shelters and the hospitals the place you’re. Don’t get out. Going out is harmful. You may have been warned.”

The Israelis, who seized the northern half of Gaza final month earlier than pausing for the week-long truce, say they’re now extending their floor marketing campaign to the remainder of the enclave as they attempt to annihilate its Hamas rulers.

“We’re transferring forward with the second stage now. A second stage that’s going to be tough militarily,” authorities spokesperson Eylon Levy stated.

Israel is open to “constructive suggestions” on lowering hurt to civilians so long as the recommendation is per its goal of destroying Hamas, he added.

Israel began its marketing campaign in retribution for an Oct. 7 assault by Hamas fighters who rampaged by means of Israeli cities, killing 1,200 folks and seizing 240 hostages, in keeping with Israel’s tally.

Based on Gaza well being officers, greater than 15,900 Palestinians are confirmed to have been killed in Israeli air strikes and different actions, with 1000’s extra lacking and feared buried beneath rubble.

Israeli bombardments have pushed 80% of Gaza’s 2.three million residents from their houses, most fleeing south. The enclave is extra densely populated than London and crowded southern areas at the moment are sheltering triple their traditional inhabitants.

CHILDREN’S BODIES ON THE FLOOR

A wounded Palestinian is introduced into Nasser hospital, following Israeli strikes on Ma’an college east of Khan Younis, in Khan Younis within the southern Gaza Strip, December 5, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

At Khan Younis’ fundamental Nasser hospital, the wounded arrived by ambulance, automobile, flatbed truck and donkey cart after what survivors described as a strike on a college getting used as a shelter for the displaced.

Inside a ward, virtually each inch of ground house was taken up by the wounded, medics hurrying from affected person to affected person whereas kinfolk wailed.

A physician carried the small limp physique of a lifeless boy in a monitor swimsuit and positioned him in a nook, arms splayed throughout the blood-smeared tile. On the ground subsequent to him, surrounded by discarded bandages and rubber gloves, lay a wounded boy and woman, their limbs tangled with the stands holding the IV drips of their arms.

Two younger women had been being handled, nonetheless coated in mud from the collapse of the home that had buried their household.

“My mother and father are beneath the rubble,” sobbed one. “I would like my mum, I would like my mum, I would like my household.”

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Exterior, males carried corpses in white and bloodied shrouds to be taken away for funerals. Round a dozen our bodies lay on the bottom. 5 or 6 had been taken away in a bike cart.

Aisha al-Raqb, a 70-year-old lady, stated her son Iyad was among the many lifeless.

“That is his blood,” she stated holding out a bloodstained hand. “That is his valuable blood. Might Allah have mercy on his soul. My darling. I (wish to) odor his scent, odor his scent, oh God, oh God.”

Gaza well being ministry spokesperson Ashra al-Qidra stated not less than 43 corpses had already reached Nasser hospital that morning.

“Hospitals within the southern Gaza Strip are completely collapsing, they can’t cope with the amount and high quality of accidents that arrive on the hospitals,” he stated.

WASHINGTON URGES LESS HARM TO CIVILIANS

An Israeli soldier gestures in the direction of a tank crew member because it crosses a street, as a part of the convoy close to Israel’s border with southern Gaza, in Israel. PHOTO: REUTERS

Washington has urged shut ally Israel to do extra to cut back hurt to civilians within the subsequent section of the Gaza conflict. Israel says blame for hurt to civilians falls on Hamas fighters for working amongst them, together with from underground tunnels that may be destroyed solely with enormous bombs. Hamas denies preventing amongst civilians.

Because the truce collapsed, Israel has been posting an internet map to inform Gazans which components of the enclave to evacuate. The japanese quarter of Khan Younis was marked on it on Monday, residence to a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals, lots of whom took flight on foot.

“What civilians ought to do to remain protected is hearken to the directions which can be popping out from our Twitter accounts, from our web site, and likewise to take a look at the leaflets which can be touchdown of their areas,” Israeli army spokesperson Richard Hecht stated.

Gazans say there isn’t any protected place, with remaining cities and shelters already overwhelmed, and Israel persevering with to bomb the areas the place it’s telling folks to go.

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North of Khan Younis in Deir al-Ballah, separated by a street that Israeli tanks seized on Saturday, Palestinian media reported giant numbers killed and wounded by a strike that destroyed a house. Reuters couldn’t attain the world.

The Palestinian Pink Crescent launched footage it stated confirmed considered one of its ambulances coming beneath Israeli tank hearth in Deir al-Ballah. The ambulance races away amid the sound of explosions. Out the rear window, blasts are seen putting the spot the place it had been parked.

The UN kids’s company Unicef stated the few small areas designated “protected” by Israel had been insufficient for the a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals in determined want of shelter.

“These are tiny patches of barren land or they’re avenue corners. They’re sidewalks. They’re half-built buildings. There isn’t any water,” Unicef spokesperson James Elder stated after visiting Gaza.