Mass evacuations ordered from southern Gaza after deadly school strike

Israel’s military yesterday ordered mass evacuations in southern Gaza in the wake of its deadly strike on a school. The latest evacuation orders cover Khan Younis – Gaza’s second largest city – and part of an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone, from which the military says rockets have been fired.

Tens of thousands had already fled due to a separate evacuation order last week. It comes after the city suffered widespread destruction during an air and ground offensive earlier this year.

On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike hit a mosque inside a school in Gaza City, where thousands of people were sheltering. The Gaza health ministry said 80 people were killed and 50 wounded.

Israel disputed this, saying it killed 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in a precise strike, releasing what it said were their names and photos.

One of those evacuating early yesterday was Ramadan Issa (not pictured), a father of five, who joined hundreds of people walking towards central Gaza. 

‘Every time we settle in one place and build tents for women and children, [Israel] comes and bombs the area,’ he said. ‘This situation is unbearable.’

Now in the tenth month of the conflict, the health ministry says the Palestinian death toll is approaching 40,000, and experts have warned of famine.

The evacuation comes amid rising tensions with Iran, after it vowed to retaliate against Israel following the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh last month.

Tehran yesterday announced that its Revolutionary Guards were holding drills close to the border with Iraq until tomorrow.

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