Israel’s Ground Offensive in Khan Younis
Israeli forces have launched a ground offensive in Khan Younis, south of Gaza, with the participation of the 98th Division, the Israeli army spokesman said. The strike came after reports that the Israeli army had launched airstrikes on 30 other locations in the same area. The resumption of Israel’s ground offensive in Khan Younis comes at a time when regional tensions between Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel are reaching a peak. It comes after the US, Egypt and Qatar called for talks to resume in Cairo or Doha on August 15 to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and exchange prisoners.
The Israeli army had issued evacuation orders east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, where thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refugee. Images shared on social media showed displaced women, children and elderly Palestinians being forced to walk through rubbled buildings with the few belongings they could hold. The scenes laid bare the “humanitarian catastrophe” being experienced in the region.
Israeli forces launched a ground assault on Khan Younis, the second largest settlement in the region, in December 2023, when their attacks on the Gaza Strip intensified. When the Israeli army withdrew from Khan Younis in April, it left behind extensive destruction, and Palestinian Civil Defense teams found the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians. It is estimated that approximately 8,000 people are under the rubble in Khan Younis.
It was announced that a mass grave containing more than 300 bodies was found in the garden of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. In addition, the Israeli army launched a ground offensive on Khan Younis again at the end of July and withdrew about a week later, leaving more casualties and destruction in the region.
