On Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that they are maintaining their ongoing sequence of raids and bombings on what they have classified as “terrorist targets” in the city of Khan Younis. Located in the southern region of the Gaza Strip, Khan Younis has been the focal point for over a fortnight of Israel’s aggressive offensive. This series of attacks was initiated in retaliation to the assaults carried out on October 7 by the Islamic Resistance Movement, also known as Hamas.
As described in an official declaration published on their website, the Israeli military stated that their forces are “continuing operations to cleanse the Khan Yunis area.” They highlighted the unearthing of numerous weapons, drones, explosives, and “other military equipment” during various raids. Additionally, they reported the death of an unspecified number of “terrorists” during these bombing campaigns.
The statement further read, “The soldiers from the commando formation are still conducting operations in western Khan Yunis. Over the past day, they have encountered armed terrorists and successfully eliminated them.” The army also claimed to have neutralized a “terrorist” who had launched a projectile into Israeli territory on Sunday.
In recent weeks, the city of Khan Younis has been a primary target for Israel. They believe that this area of the Strip is home to many of Hamas’ high-ranking officials. After initially focusing on northern Gaza, the threat of a land offensive now looms over the city of Rafá, which is situated on the Egyptian border.
In related news, the Israeli Army has verified the death of a soldier during the combat that occurred on Sunday. This brings the total number of soldiers killed since the start of the offensive to 235. The fallen soldier has been identified as Simo Shlomov of the 202nd Battalion of the Parachute Brigade.
Meanwhile, the armed wing of Hamas, known as the Ezzeldin al Qassam Brigades, released a statement on Sunday. They accused the Israeli Government of disseminating false information to the public, and provided a photo showing the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in his office with a document about the hostages discarded in a wastebasket.
The Israeli Army began its offensive against Gaza following the previously mentioned Hamas attacks, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities and 240 injuries. Since then, Palestinian authorities have reported a staggering death toll of nearly 29,000 Palestinians. In addition, close to 390 Palestinians have lost their lives in the West Bank and East Jerusalem due to the actions of Israeli security forces and settlers.
