Thousands were forced to flee their homes in the dark overnight, as Israeli tanks and planes bombed Karara, Abassan and other areas.
Israel’s leaders have said they were winding down the phase of intense fighting against Hamas, the Islamist group that has governed Gaza since 2007, and would soon shift into more targeted operations. “Every time people go back to their homes and begin to rebuild some of their lives, even on the rubble of their houses, the occupation sends the tanks back to destroy what is left,” he told Reuters via a chat app.
The military accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure and the wider population as human shields. The Islamist group denies that. Islamic Jihad, an allied group of Hamas, took credit for firing the rockets.on Oct 7, killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages, including civilians and soldiers, back into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Within the areas subject to evacuation orders was the European Gaza Hospital, which serves both Khan Younis and Rafah, and medical officials had to evacuate patients and families who had taken shelter in the facility, witnesses and medics said. After the intense phase of the war is over, its forces will focus on smaller-scale operations meant to stop Hamas from regrouping, officials say.