Israel Expands Evacuation Orders Amid Intensified Gaza Conflict

Israel has expanded its evacuation orders in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinian residents to flee. The Israeli military stated it was targeting Hamas militants in these areas, leading to significant casualties and further displacement among Gaza's population.

Israel expanded evacuation orders in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinian residents and displaced families to leave in the dark as explosions from tank shelling reverberated around them.

The Israeli military said it was attacking militants from the Hamas group who were using those areas to stage attacks and fire rockets. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike on a school where displaced Palestinians were sheltering in Gaza City killed at least 90 people, according to the civil defence service, prompting an international outcry. The Israeli military said it had struck a Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant command post, killing 19 militants, an allegation the two groups rejected as a pretext.

In Khan Younis, the evacuation order covered large districts, making it one of the largest such instructions in the 10-month-old conflict, following the return of tanks to the city's east. The announcement was communicated via X and direct messages to residents' phones. Meanwhile, Gaza's 2.3 million people continue to face ongoing displacement, with no designated safe zones, while international criticism mounts over the high civilian toll and destruction. 'There is no safe place,' remarked one resident, reflecting the desperation of many who have been forced to flee multiple times during the conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)