Israel withdraws from Khan Yunis after numerous massacres

The Israeli military withdrew from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, where it had carried out several attacks since Oct. 7, despite the area being designated as a secure zone

The Israeli military pulled out of Khan Yunus following an announcement by Hamas’ armed wing Al-Qassam Brigade that it had killed at least 10 Israeli soldiers in the region. 

Israel, at the outset of the assaults on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, had concentrated on the northern part of the Gaza Strip, forcibly displacing civilians and rerouting them to the south of Gaza. One of the towns in the south of Gaza where Israel claimed to be a secure zone was Khan Yunis.

The announcement of the withdrawal of the 98th Commando Brigade, responsible for the massacres in Khan Yunis, was connected to the Israeli military’s inability to defeat the Al-Qassam Brigades.

The Israeli military’s withdrawal from Khan Yunis revealed the extent of the city’s devastation. After the military left, displaced Palestinians started to come back to their neighborhoods, but they found it difficult to recognize their homes due to the damage.

It was observed that the weekslong Israeli bombardment had turned the buildings in the city into rubble and ash, and the roads had been destroyed as a result of both Israeli airstrikes and bulldozers.

Israeli media claimed that the decision to withdraw from Khan Yunis was related to Israel’s preparation for a ground operation in Rafah. Rafah is the last refuge for 1.4 million civilians.

Source: Newsroom