Hundreds Flee Khan Yunis as Israel Issues New Evacuation Orders Ahead of Military Operation

Khan Yunis, Gaza — Hundreds of residents in the northern neighborhoods of Khan Yunis fled their homes on Sunday after Israel issued fresh evacuation orders, signaling the onset of a new military operation in the area.

In the early hours of the morning, the Israeli army dropped leaflets and sent mobile phone messages urging residents to evacuate the Al-Jalaa area of Khan Yunis, which had been designated as a humanitarian safe zone. The military warned that Al-Jalaa would soon become a “dangerous combat zone,” prompting Palestinians, many already displaced multiple times by the ongoing Gaza conflict, to seek shelter elsewhere.

Families hurriedly gathered their belongings and left the area, fearing imminent missile strikes and ground fighting, as reported by AFP journalists on the ground. Crowds of people, primarily from the Hamad neighborhood in Al-Jalaa, scrambled to load what they could into pick-up trucks, including mattresses, clothing, and cooking utensils. Others were seen walking with their belongings, with young men and women assisting elderly family members and some trying to catch rides to safer zones.

“The IDF (Israeli army) is about to operate against the terrorist organizations in the area and therefore calls on the remaining population left in the Al-Jalaa neighborhood to temporarily evacuate,” read the statement from the military.

Khan Yunis, the main southern governorate of Gaza, has been repeatedly hit with evacuation orders in recent weeks, as months of bombardment have devastated the area, reducing residential buildings to rubble.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN refugee agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), stated on X that over 75,000 people have been displaced in southwest Gaza in just the past few days. He described the dire situation for those forced to flee, saying, “Some are only able to carry their children with them, some carry their whole lives in one small bag.”

“The people of Gaza are trapped and have nowhere to go,” Lazzarini added, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

Amid the evacuations, the Israeli military conducted a strike in Khan Yunis on Sunday, injuring several civilians who were later treated at Nasser hospital, according to local residents. “They were all civilians and they were shopping in the market when a missile hit and left people lying in the streets,” said Awad Barbakh, a resident of Khan Yunis.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to significant displacement and suffering among the civilian population, with many left uncertain about where they can find safety.