Israeli forces conducted extensive bombardments on various locations in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, prompting thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes. This action appears to be part of a potential final phase in Israel’s intensive military operations over the past nine months of conflict. Health officials reported that eight Palestinians were killed and numerous others wounded. The Israeli military confirmed the death of two soldiers in combat the previous day.
Smoke rises from Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from Israel, July 2, 2024. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israel’s leadership has indicated a transition from intensive fighting against Hamas, the Islamist organization governing Gaza since 2007, towards more targeted operations. Later on Tuesday, Israeli tank shelling in the densely populated Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of 17 Palestinians, according to medical sources. Unverified footage on Palestinian social media depicted a bloodstained local market with bread scattered on the ground.
On Monday, the Israeli army instructed residents of several towns and villages in eastern Khan Younis to evacuate before tanks re-entered the area, which the military had vacated weeks earlier. Thousands who ignored the evacuation orders were forced to leave their homes during the night as Israeli tanks and aircraft bombed Karara, Abassan, and other designated areas, according to local residents and Hamas media.
Tamer, a 55-year-old businessman displaced six times since October 7, expressed his frustration: “Every time people return to their homes and begin to rebuild their lives even on the rubble of their houses, the occupation sends the tanks back to destroy what is left,” he told Reuters via a chat application. The Israeli military stated that its forces targeted areas in Khan Younis from which approximately 20 rockets were launched on Monday, including weapon storage facilities and operational centers. The military claimed to have taken measures to enable civilian evacuation before the strikes and accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure and populations as human shields, a claim denied by Hamas. Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.
In response to growing international pressure to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel announced on Tuesday that it had connected a power line to a desalination plant in the enclave, significantly increasing its drinking water production to 20,000 cubic meters per day. While insufficient for Gaza’s population, Israeli officials described it as a significant step towards addressing immediate sanitation and water access issues.
The conflict in Gaza began on October 7 when Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has since killed nearly 38,000 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry, and left the region in ruins. The Gaza health ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, but claims that most casualties are civilians. Israel asserts that at least a third of the Palestinian fatalities are fighters and reports 320 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza.
Herzi Halevi, Israel’s chief of general staff, reported that 900 Hamas militants, including commanders, had been killed in the Rafah Brigade, with ongoing efforts to dismantle underground infrastructure. “This is a long campaign,” he stated. “With determination and perseverance, we are accomplishing our missions and wearing down the other side.”
The European Gaza Hospital, serving both Khan Younis and Rafah, was within the evacuation zones, necessitating the evacuation of patients and families seeking refuge there. Some residents moved west towards the Mawasi area, designated as a humanitarian zone but already overcrowded. Many had to sleep on the streets due to the lack of available shelter.
Israel has indicated that its operation in Rafah, aimed at eliminating Hamas, is nearing completion. Following the intense phase of the conflict, Israeli forces will shift to smaller-scale operations to prevent Hamas from regrouping. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is close to achieving its objective of dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities. However, Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to resist, staging attacks on Israeli forces in Gaza and launching rockets into Israel. Hamas has declared its readiness to continue fighting for years if necessary.
Efforts to secure a ceasefire and release hostages have stalled, with Hamas demanding an end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel has agreed only to temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is eradicated.
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