The first battle between Israel and Hamas in Khan Yunis, part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, began on 1 December 2023 and evolved into a siege in late January 2024. It ended on 7 April 2024 with the withdrawal of the IDF from not only Khan Yunis but all of the southern Gaza Strip, a move which was partially reversed with the ongoing Rafah offensive beginning in May 2024.
The IDF had failed to dismantle Hamas in Khan Yunis, with the latter firing rockets at Israel hours after the withdrawal,[18] and retaining "combat effectiveness" in the city.[19]
Evacuation order
The IDF issued an evacuation order to Palestinian civilians,[14] a move which was seen as controversial by some for supposedly allowing Hamas commanders to escape with the civilians.[20] The Palestinian Civil Defense said that the evacuation order would affect around 400,000 people.[21][22] Israel downsized the humanitarian zone where 1.7 million Palestinians took refuge and adjusted its boundaries, reducing it from 65 sq km to 48 sq km.[23]
Battle
IDF troops under the command of Brigadier General Dan Goldfuss[20] began a ground offensive into Khan Yunis on 22 July. The IDF claimed to have struck around 30 Hamas infrastructure targets with a mix of ground strikes and air strikes.[20][22] Israeli tanks advanced into and attacked multiple small towns on the eastern fringe of Khan Yunis with air support.[24][25] This included an Israeli attack on Bani Suheila, a town in the Khan Yunis area, which resulted in the deaths of 73 Palestinians and more than 270 injured.[26][27][28]
On 24 July, the IDF had confirmed that it had recovered the bodies of 5 Israelis, 2 civilians and 3 soldiers. They were killed during the Hamas-led 7 October attacks against Israel and their bodies were taken to the Gaza Strip by Hamas.[16]
On 25 July, it was reported that Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades were clashing with the IDF within and around Khan Yunis. According to the IDF, Hamas attempted to fire several rockets into Israeli territory from Khan Yunis, but these failed and fell near an UNRWA-run school, injuring several people and killing two.[29][30]
On 30 July, the IDF withdrew from Khan Yunis, and Palestinians began returning to their homes in the area.[31]
^Rasgon, Adam; Bigg, Matthew Mpoke; Stevenson, Alexandra; Fuller, Thomas (2024-07-23). "Rival Palestinian Factions Project Unity, but Deep Divisions Remain". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-26. The Gazan Health Ministry said that 73 people had been killed by Israel's bombardment of the area on Monday, including 24 children. More than 270 others were injured, some severely, the ministry said.
