Israeli airstrikes and a ground operation in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza have killed at least 51 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The strikes, which occurred on Tuesday night, were accompanied by a reported advance of Israeli tanks into parts of the city and surrounding areas. Residents described gunfire and heavy shelling, with some injured civilians recounting the sudden arrival of Israeli forces.
One wounded man, speaking to the BBC from a hospital, said, “Tanks stormed in” without any warning. Another survivor from Qizan al-Najjar village told BBC Arabic that his family members were killed in the attack, describing how Israeli forces had used quadcopters to target civilians.
Separately, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had struck Hamas targets located inside four schools in central and northern Gaza, where Hamas members were reportedly using “command and control centers.” Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that nine civilians were killed at Muscat School in Gaza City, and at least six others were killed at the Al-Amal Institute for Orphans, where hundreds of displaced people had been sheltering.
The Gaza health ministry has warned that the death toll may rise, with 82 people injured in the strikes. Israeli forces have conducted several operations in Khan Younis since December, targeting Hamas fighters in the densely populated urban area.
This escalation follows Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October last year, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages. Israel’s military response in Gaza has since led to the deaths of over 41,600 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The IDF has yet to comment on the most recent strikes in southern Gaza.
