Israeli military braces for grueling urban battle as it encircles Khan Younis
Live MintThe Israeli military said it was pushing into the west of Khan Younis and was engaged in fierce fighting with some of Hamas’s strongest fighters after encircling the southern Gaza Strip city, where the population has swelled by hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. One of the largest U.N. shelters in Khan Younis was struck in recent fighting, killing at least six displaced people, said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the U.N. agency that manages Palestinian refugees. “Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues," he said. The Israeli military said it seeks to mitigate civilian harm, and that Hamas militants have used sensitive sites in Khan Younis, including shelters and hospitals, for military purposes.