GAZA CITY: The Israeli military on Monday issued a new evacuation order for parts of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, prompting a mass exodus of residents amid intense tank fire and air strikes. Witnesses reported scenes of fear and panic as Palestinian families hurriedly left their homes, seeking safety from the ongoing Israeli bombardment.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian residents had already evacuated Rafah ahead of and during a ground offensive launched by Israeli troops, marking the most intense military action in the southernmost city since early May. The evacuation warning extended to towns like Al-Qarara and Bani Suhaila.
The order was issued shortly after Israel reported that 20 projectiles were fired into its territory from the Khan Younis region, an attack claimed by the armed wing of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad. In response, Israel conducted air strikes in Rafah earlier on Monday, intensifying the already dire situation.
“Fear and extreme anxiety have gripped people after the evacuation order,” said Ahmad Najjar, a resident of Bani Suhaila. “There is a large displacement of residents as the conflict escalates.”
Since launching its ground offensive in Gaza on October 27, Israeli forces have moved south. However, fighting has also reignited in northern Gaza.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless and intense bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 37,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the health ministry in Gaza reported. The scale of the casualties has drawn international condemnation and raised alarms over humanitarian crises and food shortages affecting Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.
Israeli military operations have targeted key infrastructure and institutions, including Al-Shifa, Gaza’s largest medical complex, which has been reduced to rubble in successive raids. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have warned of a dire humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by an ongoing Israeli siege and disruptions to humanitarian aid deliveries.
Despite months of talks aimed at securing a ceasefire and negotiating the release of hostages held by Hamas, progress has been minimal. The latest round of negotiations, mediated by US officials, failed to yield significant breakthroughs, with Hamas asserting that proposed plans do not adequately address its concerns.
In Gaza’s displacement camps, such as Deir al-Balah, health officials like pharmacist Sami Hamid have reported alarming increases in skin infections and diseases among children, attributing the rise to unsanitary conditions exacerbated by the conflict.
“The number of skin infections, including scabies and chickenpox, has surged due to the hot weather and lack of clean water,” Hamid said. “Hepatitis cases have also been reported, likely linked to sewage flowing near tented settlements.”
