Israeli tanks on Thursday attacked areas near two hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip's main town of Khan Younis, forcing displaced people into another desperate search for safe shelter, residents said, after an offensive that Israel says targeted militants. of Hamas.
In Gaza City, in the north of the enclave, 20 Palestinians were killed and 150 injured when they were hit by an Israeli strike as they queued for food aid, said Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by the Hamas. The Israeli military said it was analyzing the report.
Health officials in the Gaza Strip said at least 50 Palestinians had died in Khan Younis in the past 24 hours.
The city is now surrounded by Israeli armored forces and under incessant aerial and ground fire, according to residents. A large mushroom-shaped column of smoke was seen in the sky this Thursday, in regions where Israel was carrying out operations.
Palestinian medics said Israeli tanks were hitting targets near the city's two main hospitals, Nasser and Al-Amal, leaving medical staff, patients and displaced people trapped inside or nearby.
Israel claims that Hamas militants use hospital facilities as shields to hide militant bases, which the group denies, as do medical professionals.
Israel's siege of Khan Younis' main hospitals has made it virtually impossible for rescuers to help the injured or collect bodies. Israel says the operations aim to eliminate Hamas militants in their stronghold in the south of the enclave.
The majority of the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million population is now crammed into Khan Younis or towns to the south and north of it, after being forced out of the northern part of the territory at the start of Israel's offensive into the territory. by Hamas. The attack by Israeli forces forced many displaced people to flee again in search of other shelters, doctors and residents said.
On Wednesday, the United Nations (UN) said Israeli tanks struck a large UN compound in the Gaza Strip housing displaced Palestinians, killing nine people and injuring 75. Israel denied it was responsible, suggesting that Hamas launched the attack.
On Thursday, thousands of Palestinians who were in the complex waited to flee towards Rafah, 15 km away and on the southern border of the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces set a deadline of 5pm (local time) for the site to be evacuated, according to residents and journalists.
Juliette Touma, the UN agency's main spokeswoman for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, confirmed the reports, estimating that more than 30,000 homeless people are clustered there.
So far, at least 25,700 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated regions in the world, according to Palestinian health officials. Most of the buildings in the territory were destroyed in the bombings. Israel launched its offensive to eradicate Hamas after militants invaded its territory on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages.
Israeli forces said they have killed more than 9,000 Hamas militants and lost 220 soldiers in the war. Reuters was unable to confirm such data.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Doha, Fadi Shana in Gaza, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Jonathan Saul in London)
Source: CNN Brasil
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