Israel has ordered a large-scale evacuation of residents in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes. The order, issued overnight, comes amid escalating tensions following a deadly Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City. The evacuation order in Khan Younis covers districts in the centre, east, and west of the city, making it one of the largest such orders since the conflict began last October.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports that over 75,000 people have been displaced in southwest Gaza in recent days. The entire Gaza Strip has a population of around 2.4 million.
The Israeli military has faced international condemnation for the airstrike on a school in Gaza City on Saturday, which reportedly killed at least 90 people sheltering there. The attack has been widely condemned by world leaders, including the US, Egypt, and the EU.
"Horrified by images from a sheltering school in Gaza hit by an Israeli strike, w/ reportedly dozens of Palestinian victims. At least 10 schools were targeted in the last weeks. There's no justification for these massacres We are dismayed by the terrible overall death toll," EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell wrote on X.
The White House issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" about reports of civilian casualties and urged Israel to take measures to "minimize civilian harm."
In response to the escalation, Hamas issued a statement, blaming the US for the violence and calling for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
"We hold the US administration directly responsible for the brutal massacres committed in the Gaza Strip," Hamas said. "We call on the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting and adopt a resolution under Chapter VII obligating Israel to cease its aggression and genocide."
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 39,790 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the conflict began on October 7, 2022, with another 91,702 injured.
