Khan Yunis is one of the largest cities in the Gaza Strip, second in size only to Gaza City. It is the largest urban center in southern Gaza.
It has been the location of fierce fighting between the IDF and Hamas amid Operation Swords of Iron, the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, at the time of writing.
The IDF hopes that more civilians will follow this lead as new tent cities are set up for civilians to evacuate Rafah to Khan Yunis, al-Muwasi, and central Gaza.
This could be a signal of further additional movements toward attacking Hamas’s remaining battalions in Rafah or small portions of central Gaza.
Israel and the US have been debating whether the evacuation of the Palestinian civilians from Rafah would take one or four months.
IDF kills Hamas offical in central Gaza • Military strikes terror targets in Syria • Iran's Foreign Minister inaugurates new building for consular services in Damascus
One minute the ground maneuver in Khan Yunis was still ongoing, the next it was over.
IDF reports that Hamas rocket launchers used to attack Israel were targeted by the IDF.
Now, Israel will either need a new strategy or make bigger concessions to Hamas to get back more hostages.
As reports emerge of the IDF's withdrawal from Khan Yunis to prepare for a Rafah operation, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant tours the IDF's Southern Command, saying that IDF preparing for next stage.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly desperate to achieve a hostage and ceasefire that would see the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, as IDF troops pulled from Khan Yunis.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu pushes back on US President's Joe Biden claims on the hostage deal.
JPOST Digital Library
