Israeli forces pressed ahead with their air and ground bombardment of southern Gaza Strip as the military called for mass evacuations.
Israel largely captured the northern half of Gaza in November, and since a week-long truce collapsed on Friday they have swiftly pushed deep into the southern half.
Hamas ally, the Islamic Jihad terrorist group’s armed wing said its terrorists engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli soldiers north and east of Khan Younis, Gaza’s main southern city.
Israeli tanks have driven into Gaza across the border and cut off the main north-south route, residents said. The Israeli military said the central road out of Khan Younis to the north “constitutes a battlefield” and was now shut.
Israel on Tuesday said three of its soldiers had died in combat in Gaza on Monday, in what Army Radio described as a day of fierce battles with Hamas terrorists. Seventy-eight soldiers have died in Gaza since the start of the military’s ground invasion.
Israel launched its assault to wipe out Hamas in retaliation for an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas terrorists on border towns, kibbutzim and a music festival. The terrorists killed 1,200 people and seized 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies—the deadliest single day in Israel’s 75-year history.
On Monday, Israel ordered Palestinians to leave parts of Khan Younis, indicating they should move towards the Mediterranean coast and towards Rafah, a town near the Egyptian border.
In Washington, a State Department spokesperson said it was an “improvement” that Israel was seeking evacuations in targeted areas as opposed to entire cities.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington expected Israel to avoid attacking areas identified as “no-strike” zones in Gaza.
He said the United States had discussed with Israel how long the war with the Hamas terrorist group should continue, but he declined to share that timeline.
A senior Israeli official said it was taking the time to order more precise evacuations in order to limit civilian casualties, but that Israel could not rule them out altogether.
“We did not start this war. We regret civilian casualties but when you want to face evil, you have to operate,” the official said.
Over 100 of the hostages seized by Iran-backed Hamas were freed during a seven-day truce last month. Israeli authorities say seven civilians and an army colonel died in captivity, while 137 hostages remain in Gaza.
In the eight weeks of warfare, the Hamas-controlled Gazan health ministry said at least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed.
Israel accuses Hamas of putting civilians in danger by operating from civilian areas, including in tunnels which can only be destroyed by large bombs. Hamas denies it does so.
