Israel strikes southern Gaza after ordering evacuations

Displaced Palestinians leave an area in east Khan Yunis after the Israeli army issued a new evacuation order for parts of the city and Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on July 1, 2024.

Israel carried out fresh strikes in southern Gaza on Tuesday, forcing hundreds of Palestinians to flee after the army once again ordered the evacuation of certain densely populated areas.

Witnesses reported multiple strikes in and around the city of Khan Yunis, where eight people were killed and more than 30 were wounded, according to a medical source and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The bombardment came after a rare rocket barrage claimed by the militant group Islamic Jihad, which has fought alongside Hamas.

The rockets were aimed at Israeli communities near the Gaza border and were fired in retaliation for Israeli "crimes... against our Palestinian people", said the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad.

The Israeli military said about "20 projectiles were identified crossing from the area of Khan Yunis", most of which were intercepted. It reported no casualties and said artillery was "striking the sources of the fire".

This was followed on Monday by an order to evacuate Al-Qarara, Bani Suhaila and other towns in Rafah and Khan Yunis, nearly two months after an initial order to evacuate Rafah ahead of a ground offensive.

Prior to Israel's ground incursion in Rafah, well over one million people had been displaced to Gaza's southernmost city.

"Fear and extreme anxiety have gripped people after the evacuation order," said Bani Suhaila resident Ahmad Najjar. "There is a large displacement of residents."

  'Difficult fight' 

Other parts of the Gaza Strip were reeling from continued...