Hundreds of residents in Khan Yunis, Gaza, fled their homes on Sunday following fresh evacuation orders from the Israeli military. The orders were issued ahead of a new operation targeting Palestinian militants reportedly hiding in the area.
The Israeli army dropped leaflets and sent mobile messages early in the morning, warning residents to leave the Al-Jalaa neighborhood, which had previously been designated a humanitarian safe zone. The military cautioned that the area would soon become a “dangerous combat zone.”
Residents, many of whom have been displaced multiple times during the ongoing Gaza war, quickly gathered their belongings and left, fearing missile strikes and ground battles. Crowds, including families from the Hamad neighborhood, loaded what they could onto pick-up trucks or walked to safer areas, carrying essential items.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN refugee agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), reported that over 75,000 people have been displaced in southwest Gaza in recent days. “The people of Gaza are trapped and have nowhere to go,” Lazzarini said, emphasizing the dire situation.
The military also conducted a strike in Khan Yunis on Sunday, injuring several civilians, according to residents. The ongoing conflict, which escalated after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has led to the deaths of at least 39,790 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
