On Thursday, the IDF ordered an urgent evacuation from the eastern areas of Khan Yunis. The military said that the measure was provoked by a rocket launch from the city.
"Following intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, and as part of the effort to degrade the terror organizations' capabilities throughout the Gaza Strip as they attempt to regroup, the IDF’s 98th Division began operational activity in the Khan Yunis area," the IDF said on Telegram.
The operation will proceed "both above and below ground" in order to eliminate Hamas fighters and locate their weaponry and infrastructure.
"Alongside the operational activity, the IAF [Israeli air force] struck more than 30 Hamas terror targets in Khan Yunis including weapons storage facilities and terrorist gathering areas. Furthermore, a number of terrorists, including terrorists at the tactical level who planned and carried out mortar and sniper fire attacks toward IDF troops and the State of Israel, were eliminated in the strikes," the Israeli military added.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. After that, Hamas fighters penetrated the border areas, opening fire on military and civilians and taking more than 200 people hostage. According to Israeli authorities, about 1,200 people were killed in the raid.
The IDF launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip, which included strikes on civilian targets. Israel announced a complete blockade of the enclave, cutting off supplies of water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine. The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has reached almost 39,700, with more than 91,700 injured.