Israel carried out new strikes in southern Gaza after ordering the evacuation of some areas, including much of the town of Khan Younis.
Tuesday’s attacks forced hundreds of Palestinians to flee densely populated neighborhoods. Witnesses reported several strikes in and around the city.
Eight people were killed and more than 30 injured, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
The bombing was a response to a rocket attack targeting Israel on Monday, an attack claimed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which is fighting alongside Hamas in the war that has been raging since October 7.
It was a retaliation for “Israeli crimes… against our Palestinian people,” said the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli military said that about “20 projectiles were identified coming from the Khan Younis area,” most of which were intercepted. It reported no casualties. The military said its artillery was “hitting the sources of the fire.”
The order to evacuate al-Qarara, Bani Suheila and other parts of Khan Younis followed shortly after, sowing fear among the local populations.
Some fear the order suggests Israeli troops could soon invade the city again. They withdrew from Khan Younis earlier this year after a ground offensive left much of the city in ruins, claiming to have destroyed Hamas battalions there.
“There has been extreme fear and anxiety among residents after the evacuation order,” said Ahmad Najjar, a resident of Bani Suheila. “There has been a massive displacement of residents.”
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes, and many have been displaced multiple times. Israeli restrictions, fighting and a breakdown in law and order have hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid, leading to widespread starvation and fears of famine.
