Residents of the Khan Younis town of Hamad in Gaza packed their belongings and moved towards Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip on Sunday (December 3), responding to Israeli bombardments and evacuation warnings for specific areas.
Hamdi Zaheer, who had previously fled northern Gaza, expressed frustration as they were once again compelled to evacuate the “safe areas” designated by the Israeli army.
“Just take us to the grave and be done with it,” he exclaimed.
Zaheer recounted enduring two to three journeys during the ongoing conflict, seeking refuge at al-Shifa Medical Centre after the collapse of a truce with Hamas. Subsequently, the Israeli army directed them to relocate to safe areas in the southern Gaza Strip. Despite following these instructions, they found themselves evacuating these areas once again.
Israeli forces have intensified their bombardments on the coastal enclave since the truce breakdown, focusing on Khan Younis and Rafah in the south, according to residents.
The Israeli military issued a statement instructing Palestinians to immediately evacuate half a dozen areas in and around Khan Younis. A map highlighting designated shelters west of Khan Younis and towards Rafah, on the border with Egypt, was also provided.
