A wave of Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 Palestinians in the city of Khan Younis, authorities said on Friday. On the same day, an Israeli strike killed a Hamas official in southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes into the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis killed at least 21 Palestinians, local health officials said on Friday.
The airstrikes came after Israeli evacuation orders triggered another exodus of Palestinians from heavily destroyed districts within the city, where many had only just returned to following Israel’s last incursion in July.
One of the airstrikes in Khan Younis hit the home of the Abu Moamar family, killing a Palestine TV journalist, his wife and three daughters.
Another strike smashed into tents housing displaced people in Mawasi, an area the Israeli military had designated a humanitarian zone.
A journalist for the Hamas-run Al Aqsa TV channel and five others were killed in that attack.
A third airstrike targeted a car in Khan Younis.
Thousands fled the city on Thursday – carrying essentials like tents, backpacks and blankets.
It’s at least the third time that Israeli forces launched a major incursion into Khan Younis, the city where Israeli officials said they believe Hamas’ newly named top leader and architect of the October 7 attack Yahya Sinwar could be.
Much of the city has been reduced to ruins.
Israel has stated it has the aim of destroying Hamas following the October 7 attack which killed 1,200 people and in which 250 others were abducted.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 39,600 Palestinians and wounded more than 91,700 others.
More than 1.9 million of Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.3 million have been driven from their homes, fleeing repeatedly across the territory to escape offensives.
Also on Friday, an Israeli drone hit a car in southern Lebanon and killed a Hamas official, according to state media.
National News Agency said the strike hit the southern entrance of the port city of Sidon, near one of the roads that lead to Lebanon’s largest refugee camp, Ein el-Hilweh.
It reported that Hamas official Samer al-Haj was killed.
Over the past months, several Hamas officials have been killed in Lebanon in airstrikes blamed on Israel.
Last week, Hezbollah said Israel killed its top commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut.
In January, the most senior Hamas official in Lebanon, Saleh Arouri, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut that was also blamed on Israel.
