Israeli airstrikes and a ground operation targeting the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 51 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The violence escalated on Tuesday night, with tanks advancing into parts of the city and its surrounding areas, leading to intense gunfire and heavy shelling.
Residents described the scene as chaotic, with one injured man reaching the hospital sharing his account: “Tanks stormed in” to his village without any warning. The ongoing conflict has created a dire situation for many civilians in the region.
In a separate incident, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced they had struck Hamas targets located within four schools that were sheltering displaced individuals in central and northern Gaza. The IDF claimed that Hamas members were operating from “command and control centers” embedded in schools located in Muscat, Rimal, Bureij, and Nuseirat.
Reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa indicated that at least nine civilians were killed at Muscat School in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, while six others died at the Al-Amal Institute for Orphans in Rimal. The Al-Amal Institute later posted on Facebook, stating that eight individuals had been killed and many others wounded, including children and women, when an Israeli strike hit one of its buildings that housed hundreds of displaced civilians.
Additionally, Gaza’s Civil Defence officials reported that three people were killed and 15 others injured when Israel bombed Nuseirat Girls’ School in central Gaza, which serves as a refuge for displaced families. The ongoing airstrikes and ground operations have exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
The escalation in Gaza follows a day after Israel repelled a barrage of missiles from Iran and launched a limited ground operation into Lebanon. The IDF characterized the operation in Lebanon as targeting positions linked to Hezbollah after a year marked by cross-border hostilities.
While the IDF has yet to comment on the recent strikes in southern Gaza, eyewitnesses from the region have shared harrowing accounts. A resident of Qizan al-Najjar village, southeast of Khan Younis, told BBC Arabic that several of his relatives had died in the attacks. He described how “tanks stormed into the area, accompanied by quadcopters that directly targeted us.”
Another individual at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis recounted, “We were in Qizan al-Najjar when suddenly, shells began to rain down on us from planes and tanks.” The horror of the situation was further amplified by the testimony of a third man who described the scene as chaotic and destructive: “There was no prior warning. Following the rocket fire from Lebanon, we witnessed complete destruction. I barely survived; my daughter is injured, and my wife has a head injury that may lead to vision loss.”
The health ministry in Gaza warned that the death toll could rise as more casualties were reported, with 82 individuals injured in the latest strikes. The IDF has been conducting multiple ground operations targeting Hamas fighters in Khan Younis, which is Gaza’s second-largest urban area, since December. The situation has become increasingly dire as the conflict continues to escalate.
The current war traces its origins to the attack by Hamas gunmen on Israel on October 7 of the previous year, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza that has had devastating consequences, with the Hamas-run health ministry estimating that around 41,689 people have died as a result of the ongoing conflict.
As the violence continues, civilians are caught in the crossfire, facing immense suffering and loss. The strikes in Khan Younis and other areas illustrate the broader humanitarian crisis affecting Gaza, where families are displaced, infrastructure is destroyed, and essential services are overwhelmed. The international community watches closely as the situation develops, hoping for an end to the violence and a resolution that will allow for peace and stability in the region.
With each passing day, the stories of those affected by the conflict highlight the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilian lives in the face of escalating hostilities. As the conflict endures, the consequences for the people of Gaza remain devastating, with many losing their lives, homes, and loved ones amid the ongoing strife.
