At least 50 Palestinians have been killed and over a hundred wounded in Israeli attacks from the air, sea and land against the town of Khan Younis. In the last week, Israel has intensified its attack on the largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip. On Monday, Israeli tanks crossed the city from east to west and reached the Mediterranean. Residents say that the city is being subjected to the heaviest attacks in the south since the war broke out on 7 October last year. Smoke rose from the town of Khan Younis after Monday’s attack. Here seen from Rafah in the south. Photo: Reuters Intense battles The Norwegian doctor Erik Fosse is staying at the European hospital in the city and talks about hard battles in a message to news. – Last night there was intense fighting over Khan Younis with many explosions near the hospital. Definitely the most powerful attacks we have experienced during our stay here, he says. Fosse stays in the area together with several Norwegian doctors and nurses hired by Norwac. They arrived in the Gaza Strip on 10 January. Put on the run Since the war broke out, several hundred thousand have fled south from Gaza City to Khan Younis, on orders from the Israeli military. The displaced are staying in the area which is now being bombed. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants now live in either Khan Younis or Rafah, furthest south towards the border with Egypt. Most of Gaza’s inhabitants have fled here, to the city of Rafah in the south. The smoke in the background is from Monday’s attack on Khan Younis. Photo: REUTERS Doctor Erik Fosse goes on to tell about people who dismantle the tent they live in and load the contents into trucks. – In the morning hours it was almost empty of people in the makeshift streets between the tents in the hospital area, he says to news. The International Committee of the Red Cross reports that 10,000 displaced persons who had sought refuge at the European Hospital have left during the last 24 hours. – The hospital says that 10,000 displaced people have left the hospital area during the night. There were about 22,000 here initially. This is difficult to verify, but it may be true because the hectic life we are used to is gone, says the Norwegian doctor. Ahmad Shurrab is one of those who fled on Monday. – This is the 17th time I have fled. Where shall we go? Are we going to Rafah? 2.3 million people in a tiny area. What do they want with us? he said to the Associated Press. Fears more deaths Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesperson for Gaza’s Ministry of Health, tells the Reuters news agency that he believes the death toll will increase. – We believe that many people are trapped under ruins in areas that the occupation forces have invaded, where rescue workers cannot reach them, he says. The residents cannot get to the city’s hospital – and rescue workers cannot reach the bombed area to evacuate the injured. – We didn’t admit that many injured people because the ambulances couldn’t evacuate them. On Monday, none of the employees who live in Khan Younis are at work, because the road is closed by the Israeli military. But it is still possible to travel to and from Rafah, says Erik Fosse. Erik Fosse and the rest of the Norwac team arrived in the Gaza Strip from Egypt on 10 January. Photo: NTB Hospital surrounded The Israeli military says the operation in Khan Younis will continue for several days. Israel claims that Khan Younis serves as Hamas’s headquarters because several key leaders come from the city. According to the IDF, around 40 Hamas members were killed in the attack. Palestinians in Khan Younis search for survivors in the ruins after an Israeli air attack on the city. The picture was taken on 26 October last year. Photo: AP Tanks have reached two different hospitals in the city on Monday, where they are blocking the entrances. The Israeli military believes that Hamas operates in and near hospitals, which Hamas denies. The Al-Khair hospital in the west of the city has been stormed by Israeli soldiers who have arrested employees, a spokesperson from Gaza’s health authorities told. The Palestinian Red Crescent tells the Reuters news agency that they have lost all contact with the staff at the Al-Amal hospital, where Israeli tanks are parked outside. – The area is completely surrounded. No one comes in or out. We are very concerned about the safety of our employees, the injured and the thousands of displaced people who are staying there. The situation is extremely dangerous, says spokesperson Nebal Farsakh. – Those guilds Further west, Israeli tanks have reached the al-Mawasi district on the Mediterranean coast for the first time. There they have taken up positions at al-Aqsa University, which houses displaced families. In the middle of the chaos stands Yunis Abdel Razek, who has sought refuge at the university together with his family. – There have been non-stop artillery attacks since 05:00. We cannot leave the university. It is dangerous and I am afraid for the little ones. They said the Al-Mawasi area was safe, but they lied, he says despairingly. Over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip since the war broke out on 7 October last year, according to figures from the Palestinian health authorities.
ttn-69
Powerful attacks against Khan Younis – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
