Israel military instructs residents to evacuate Khan Younis
The Israeli military has issued instructions for residents of much of Khan Younis, Gaza’s second largest city, to evacuate to the Al-Muwasi area, a strip of land with few facilities on the coast, as well as specific blocks displayed on an interactive IDF map. This comes as fierce fighting is taking place in and around Khan Younis.
However, the lack of communication networks and internet availability in much of Gaza makes it unclear how many people are aware of the evacuation instructions.
UN resolution for ceasefire in Gaza vetoed by US
The United States is facing criticism after it vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The draft resolution, co-sponsored by at least 97 other countries and tabled by the United Arab Emirates, was supported by 13 member countries of the UN Security Council. This was the sixth attempt by the Security Council to reach a consensus.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the United States for its veto, vowing to continue “our just war to dismantle Hamas.” However, the veto has been condemned by Hamas, as well as aid groups and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who held the US responsible for the “bloodshed” of civilians in Gaza.
US approves emergency sale of munitions to Israel
The US State Department has transmitted an emergency declaration to lawmakers over the sale of thousands of munitions to Israel. The emergency measure bypassed the standard 20-day period normally given to congressional committees to review such a sale. The sale comes amidst ongoing violence, with the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health reporting 17,700 people killed and another 48,780 injured since October 7.
Events on the ground
Clashes between the Israeli army and Hamas continued in multiple parts of Gaza. The Israeli military has detained men of military age in northern Gaza to “find out who the terrorists are.” Additionally, the kibbutz announced that an Israeli hostage held in Gaza, Sahar Baruch, 25, has been killed, while four more Israeli soldiers were killed in battles inside the Gaza Strip, bringing the total to 96.
Two of Gaza City’s oldest mosques have also suffered extensive damage following airstrikes earlier this week, according to authorities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Russia has evacuated over 1,000 of its citizens from Gaza, with more evacuations ongoing.
The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with continued violence and humanitarian concerns as the conflict persists.