GAZA CITY: The Gaza Strip’s civil defence agency reported on Tuesday that Israeli military operations in Khan Younis have killed 300 Palestinians since July 22 as the occupation forces withdrew after leaving the city in ruins. The agency’s spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, stated that recovery teams have found several bodies from the debris, many in a decomposed state, after intense Israeli bombardments.
Israeli forces have withdrawn from the eastern parts of Khan Younis, but the humanitarian crisis continues. According to media reports, 20 bodies were recovered from Rafah and eastern Khan Younis, highlighting the extensive casualties and destruction by Israeli bombardments.
Journalists on the ground have posted distressing videos on Instagram, showing displaced Palestinians returning to their homes and temporary shelters in the battered eastern sections of Khan Younis. These areas, once densely populated, now resemble wastelands due to relentless air and artillery attacks by Israeli forces.
While the Israeli military has officially ended its operations in the eastern parts of Khan Younis, there has been no formal statement confirming the complete cessation of activities, leading to fears of potential future incursions. This lack of official communication has heightened anxieties among residents who experienced sudden and unannounced attacks nine days ago.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 39,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since Israel launched a relentless bombardment campaign in the besieged territory on October 7.
This figure includes 37 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, with the total number of injured standing at 90,996. The nearly 10-month-long conflict has devastated the region, leaving vast areas uninhabitable and public services severely disrupted.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hosted a delegation of Palestinian leaders in Tehran. The delegation, led by Ziyad al-Nakhalah of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Ismail Haniyeh, political leader of Hamas, was in Iran for the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
