The Israeli military began its withdrawal from the eastern part of Khan Younis late last night. Intense air and artillery strikes continued almost throughout the night, leading many to believe that the military operation was expanding into the central and western regions of the city.
By the early hours of this morning, the Israeli forces had pulled out from all eastern sections of Khan Younis. However, there has been no official statement from the Israeli military confirming the end of operations in this area, which leaves the situation precarious.
There are growing concerns about the possibility of a renewed incursion or sudden attack, similar to the one that began nine days ago when the Israeli military launched assaults on eastern Khan Younis without prior warning to civilians.
After nearly ten days of bombardment, the destruction is extensive, with public infrastructure, social services, and facilities across the city severely damaged or obliterated.
Residents returning to their homes are finding the area in a state of devastation, describing it as a “horrific wasteland” that is uninhabitable.
The World Health Organization has stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow for the distribution of vaccines to children. The Gaza Health Ministry has emphasized the necessity for “immediate intervention” to prevent a potential polio outbreak.
In Israel, far-right protesters have targeted two military bases in response to the arrest of nine soldiers accused of mistreating a Palestinian prisoner.
The conflict has led to at least 39,363 deaths and 90,923 injuries in Gaza. Following Hamas-led attacks on October 7, approximately 1,139 people were killed in Israel, with over 200 individuals taken captive.