In its ongoing operation within Khan Younis, Israeli tank shells have recently struck a UN training center that was sheltering thousands of displaced civilians.
This comes from a report done by Reuters. According to the report, 9 were confirmed to be killed and 75 were wounded according to a UN relief official. Palestinian officials have also stated that the Israeli military has also isolated Southern Gaza's main hospitals. The facility is being run by the UNRWA and following the shelling a team trying to reach the training center was blocked according to the organization's director of Gaza affairs, Thomas white.
During the questioning regarding the reason behind the shelling, the Israeli military said the wider area was an important base for Hamas militants. They also stated, "Dismantling Hamas' military framework in western Khan Younis is the heart of the logic behind the operation." The area of Khan Younis is also the location of the two remaining hospitals that are still functional those hospitals being the Nasser and the Al-Amal hospital. The staff of the Palestinian Red Cross Society that runs the Al-Amal hospital also reports curfews being put in place within the wider area as well as being blockaded within the hospital itself. Israel continues to state that Hamas militants conduct operations both in and around hospitals. However, both Hospital staff and Hamas themselves have denied this claim.
However one must wonder how long can the Israeli Government maintain this stance as the number of displaced civilians and the overall toll of those lost to this conflict continues to rise. In another report, HNGN has covered the overall impact of the ongoing operation within Khan Younis.
