The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for residents of the southern districts of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip to relocate to a newly designated “humanitarian zone” in Muwasi. The military cited “intelligence information” indicating that Hamas is operating within the bounds of this humanitarian area.
The statement also noted recent adjustments to the boundaries of this zone and called for temporary evacuation to designated areas in Muwasi. Israeli military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, mentioned on the platform “X” that due to multiple terrorist activities and rocket launches toward Israel from the western districts of Khan Younis, staying in that area has become dangerous.
The military has also warned that it will conduct strong strikes against Hamas and infrastructure in the region. A military source stated that hospitals in the area do not need evacuation, and that Israeli forces have informed Palestinian health officials and international community representatives of this. The United Nations reported that more than 180,000 Palestinians were displaced over four days of intense fighting around Khan Younis amidst an Israeli military operation to recover the bodies of hostages from the area. This operation has resulted in new waves of internal displacement across Gaza.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced the recovery of the bodies of five individuals, including a woman and two soldiers, all killed in a Hamas attack on Israel and taken to the sector. According to the UN, the vast majority of Gaza’s population of 2.4 million have been displaced at least once due to the conflict.
