The United Nations announced on Wednesday that Israel has ordered a widespread evacuation in Khan Yunis, the largest city in southern Gaza Strip. This area has become a refuge for many Palestinians displaced by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which has lasted for over two and a half months.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Israeli military has issued an order for the “immediate evacuation” of an area covering about 20 percent of Khan Yunis. This report was confirmed by the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The UN office clarified that the extent of displacement resulting from this evacuation order remains uncertain. Before the war began on October 7th, over 111,000 people resided in the area now slated for evacuation. Since the outbreak of war, approximately 141,000 displaced Palestinians have taken refuge there, living across 32 camps.
The Israeli military had previously announced on Monday an intensification of its operations in Khan Yunis. Throughout the war, the Israeli army has issued several evacuation orders to civilians before carrying out strikes in Gaza.
These areas were identified by the Israeli army on a map published on the internet, as per the UN office’s report. However, the UN expressed concern that frequent communication disruptions and power outages are hindering residents’ access to this critical information.
Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7th, which resulted in the death of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, as per the AFP’s tally based on Israeli authority figures. In response, Israel initiated an aerial and ground military campaign, during which, according to the Gaza Government Media Office, at least 20,000 people were killed, including 8,000 children and 6,200 women.
Addressing widespread criticism of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Wednesday, reiterated calls for Israel to “minimize harm” to civilians. However, he also stressed the need to exert pressure on Hamas.
