Israeli military commander claims army is in 'heart' of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Israeli army is now in the "heart" of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, a senior Israeli commander said on Tuesday.

"We are in the heart of Jabalia, in the heart of Shuja'iyya, and since last night, in the heart of Khan Younis,” Israeli army Southern Command Gen. Yaron Finkelman said in a statement.

Despite Finkelman's use of the term "heart" of Khan Younis, statements by the Al-Qassam Brigades today clarified that the ongoing clashes with the Israeli army in Khan Younis are concentrated in the eastern areas of the city, primarily agricultural regions.

"We are in the most intense day since the beginning of the ground operation in terms of terrorists killed, the number of firefights, and the use of firepower from the land and air,'' the commander added.

Israel resumed air and ground attacks last Friday on the Gaza Strip after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with Hamas.

Despite earlier ordering Gazans to go from northern Gaza to the south, implying that the south was safer, Israel recently started an offensive into the south, further displacing a shell-shocked population of millions.

At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed and more than 42,000 injured since Israel launched a massive military campaign on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio