Gaza war: Israel bombs Khan Younis and Rafah forcing thousands to flee

The Israeli military bombarded several areas of Khan Younis and Rafah, killing eight Palestinians, the news agency Reuters reported on Tuesday (July 2) citing health officials. Thousands of people fled their homes under fire. On Monday, the Israeli army ordered residents ofseveral towns and villages in eastern Khan Younis to evacuate before tanks entered the area.

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Citing Hamas media, Reuters reported that thousands who did not heed the call wereforced to flee their homes in the dark overnight, as Israeli tanks and planes bombed Karara, Abassan and other areas (of Khan Younis)that had been named in the evacuation orders.

'Where will we go?'

Speaking to the news agency,a 55-year-old businessman in Khan Younis said, "Every time people go back to their homes and begin to rebuild some of their lives even on the rubble of their houses, the occupation sends the tanks back to destroy what is left."

"Where will we go?" said the businessman, who has been displaced six times since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 last year.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said that measures were takenbefore the strikes to ensure civilians were unharmed by enabling them to evacuate from the area, referring to the evacuation orders.

Rafah offensive will conclude soon

The Israeli government recently signalled that its offensive in Rafah would soon be concluded. After the intensive phase of the war is over, Israeli forces would focus onsmaller-scale operations meant to stop Hamas from regrouping, officials said.

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"We are advancing to the end of the phase of eliminating the terrorist army of Hamas, and there will be a continuation to strike its remnants," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)