THERE has been a dramatic escalation in the Gaza conflict as Israel expands its evacuation orders in Khan Younis, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes in the dark of night. The Israeli military claims to be targeting Hamas militants, while Palestinians describe scenes of chaos and fear.
According to Reuters, an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City on Saturday killed at least 90 displaced Palestinians, sparking international outrage. Israel maintains it struck a militant command post, a claim rejected by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Reuters details the latest evacuation order, covering central, eastern, and western districts of Khan Younis. Residents received urgent messages declaring their area a “dangerous combat zone” and instructing them to move to a designated humanitarian zone.
The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told Reuters that Gazans are “trapped” with “nowhere to go,” describing scenes of families carrying their entire lives in small bags to already overcrowded shelters.
The news agency reports ongoing Israeli military operations, including strikes on alleged Hamas targets and a separate airstrike near Khan Younis market that killed four Palestinians. Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad claims to have fired mortars at Israeli forces.
Reuters cites Gaza health ministry figures stating that nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since October, with most casualties reported as civilians. Israel contests this, claiming at least a third are fighters.
The conflict, as reported by Reuters, began after Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw over 250 taken hostage.
The news agency paints a grim picture of Gaza’s current state, with most of its 2.3 million residents displaced and much of the territory reduced to rubble. Palestinian and UN officials insist there are no safe areas left in Gaza, with even designated humanitarian zones reportedly coming under fire.
Reuters concludes its report with accounts from exhausted residents like Zaki Mohammad, who describes repeated displacements and a pervasive sense of running “from death to death” in a territory where safety has become an illusion.
