Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing from the east of Khan Younis under heavy Israeli attacks. They are running out of the city on foot and quickly while most of them don’t know where to go. These people are already displaced and have moved more than once.
The displacement of people – some say tens of thousands – is trending with video images. The Israeli army says they are moving into the already destroyed city to look for Palestinian armed operatives who are nowhere to be found.
This is a surprise invasion that is being backed by Israeli warplanes who are firing at homes, places and people in the streets, on hospitals and those simply seeking to seek shelter and stay out of harm’s way.
But in the central regions of Gaza there are no safe areas. The new missiles and bombs have started people moving again mostly to the east of the Gaza Strip to Dier Al Balah which is already under Israeli attack.
Reports say there are 45 reported deaths in and around Khan Younis. Around 40 killed have been taken to the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as well as around 150 injured.
Eyewitness reports say that the hospital halls are full with patients in corridors while most of those injured were shot in the head and chest with case of people whose intestines falling out of their stomach.
The scenes are harrowing. Meanwhile an Israeli drone targeted a journalists’ tent within the grounds of Shuhada’ Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. The attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injured several others according to the Al Quds News Network.
Dr Asmar is an Amman-based writer covering Middle East affairs
