The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) confirmed yesterday that the Israeli army ordered evacuations from a UN shelter, which came under artillery shelling. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed calls for Israel to protect civilians in the wake of the shelling, a move that Washington strongly condemned.
A spokesperson for UNRWA cited testimonies from displaced individuals at the center, who stated that the Israeli army had given them until Friday afternoon to evacuate.
Amal Labad, one of the displaced, shared, “They told us we had to vacate the premises before Friday evening.”
She continued, “The army announced through UNRWA’s loudspeakers; we went alongside the tank, and they informed us to vacate the area before 5 pm on Friday.”
The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.
A senior United Nations official disclosed yesterday that the death toll from the artillery shelling at the shelter in Khan Yunis had risen to 12.
Thomas White, the director of UNRWA in Gaza, stated in a release, “The deaths of 12 individuals have been confirmed, with more than 75 others injured, including 15 in critical condition.”
According to White, two tank shells struck a United Nations shelter in Khan Yunis, where thousands of Palestinian refugees sought refuge.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army declared a “siege” on Khan Yunis and urged residents to head south to Rafah on the border with Egypt. However, the ongoing battles make the journey perilous, with the majority of displaced individuals, numbering 1.7 million Palestinians, concentrated in this area due to the war.
In Europe, Rome announced that a hundred injured Palestinian children from Gaza would receive treatment in Italian hospitals, while Paris mentioned that seven injured children had arrived in France for medical care. The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory continues to deteriorate, as discussions in Cairo revolve around a possible extended ceasefire.
Efforts are currently underway to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, one that is longer than previous agreements and includes the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, along with increased humanitarian aid to civilians.
Against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, concerns mount regarding the widening scope of the conflict, especially along the Lebanese border, which witnesses daily exchanges of gunfire.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that areas of several villages and towns near the border came under Israeli artillery shelling and strikes.
In response, the Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had conducted operations in numerous cities and villages in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the death of one Palestinian and the arrest of 16 individuals.
