Israel's Order for Palestinians to Evacuate Khan Younis; Likelihood of Renewed Attack Increases

Following the Israeli army's order for Palestinians in the eastern section of Khan Younis and another area in southeastern Gaza to evacuate, thousands of residents began leaving these areas on the night of July 2, and the exodus is still ongoing. The army's evacuation order is interpreted as part of a new Israeli operation in these areas of southern Gaza. The evacuation command was issued after a wave of rocket attacks from Khan Younis towards Israel on Monday. At least 20 rockets targeted southern Israel, causing no casualties. Reports indicate that the rockets landed in open areas, while others were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. In response to the release of the head of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza by Israel, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization, led by Ziad al-Nakhalah and considered a proxy group of the Islamic Republic of Iran, claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Israel on Monday. Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants have participated alongside members of the extremist Hamas group in the Gaza war over the past nine months and hold several Israeli hostages. Like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. The Israeli army instructed residents of eastern Khan Younis and another area in southeastern Gaza to move to the coastal area of al-Mawasi for safety from attacks. Israel has declared al-Mawasi a safe zone, where thousands of tents have been set up for Palestinian accommodation for months. According to the Associated Press, many residents in Khan Younis, after the Israeli evacuation order, carried their belongings on foot or by any means possible and left the area at night. The UN Secretary-General stated on Monday that the new evacuation order indicates that there is no safe place in Gaza for Palestinian civilians. Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israeli media reported that the army bombed locations in eastern Khan Younis during the night of Monday to Tuesday, which had been used for rocket attacks against Israel. Reports indicate that Israeli ground forces also entered homes that Palestinian Islamic Jihad had turned into 'terror operation' centers and discovered and seized weapons. An Israeli army spokesperson stated that all necessary precautions were taken to prevent civilian casualties. Last week, the Israeli army also issued an evacuation order for residents of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in Gaza City and shortly after began search operations against returning militants in that neighborhood. The Israeli army has stated that Hamas has been rearming and recruiting fresh forces since December when the last military operation took place. Israeli operations in Shuja'iyya began on July 1 and the army estimates that it may take several weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on July 2, after visiting army forces engaged in operations in Rafah in southern Gaza, that 'we are nearing the end of the phase of destroying Hamas's terror army (but) striking at the remnants will continue.' Some residents of southern Israel, who had evacuated after the extremist Hamas group's attack on Israeli territory on October 6 last year, have recently returned home after months of displacement, but following the recent rocket attacks from Gaza, they tell Israeli media that they still do not feel safe and must run to shelters with every rocket attack. The Gaza war began 270 days ago with an attack by members of the extremist Hamas group on Israel, killing over 1,200 Israelis and abducting 253 others to Gaza. The war in Gaza has been devastating, killing over 38,000 people, including thousands of militants.