Israel: Palestinian civilians in central Khan Younis must evacuate

On Saturday, December 9, Israel instructed residents of the central part of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, to evacuate their homes following the failure of a proposed resolution by the United Arab Emirates in the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire. Last week, Israel had issued a similar warning before attacking eastern areas of the city. According to Reuters, following the recent failure of negotiations to extend a temporary ceasefire, Israel has expanded its ground operations in the southern Gaza Strip by attacking Khan Younis. Meanwhile, both sides in the conflict have reported an escalation of fighting in northern Gaza. Since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel, a significant portion of the two million three hundred thousand residents of the Gaza Strip have been forced to leave their homes. After Hamas militants, supported by the Islamic Republic, attacked Israel on October 6, killing at least 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages, primarily civilians, Israel launched operations against the Gaza Strip with the aim of 'destroying Hamas.' The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, as fighting continues in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies and residents of Gaza have stated that there is no safe place to escape to, although Israel has denied this claim, stating that it has designated safe areas for Palestinian civilians. According to the Gaza government, controlled by Hamas, nearly 17,015 people have been killed since the war began, with about two-thirds of them being women and children. Israel has repeatedly claimed that Hamas uses civilians and buildings such as hospitals and schools for military purposes. Reuters noted that as Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip intensify, the United States and Germany have urged the country to adhere to its responsibility to protect civilians. The increase in the scope and intensity of Israel's attacks against Hamas has led the U.S. to call for greater protection for civilians. The U.S. stated that it does not support a ceasefire resolution in Gaza, claiming it only sows the seeds for the next war. The Israeli army responded to rocket attacks from Lebanon. Hamas condemned the veto of the ceasefire resolution draft as unethical and inhumane.