As IDF deepens Khan Younis operation in Gaza, Nasser Hospital begins evacuating

Gaza residents who have been taking refuge in the Nasser Hospital are beginning to evacuate the facility as Israel Defense Forces intensifies strikes against Hamas in the vicinity, according to Arab media reports.

The IDF increased its bombing and airstrikes on Hamas-related targets near the hospital last week as it moves to tighten control over the city. 

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the IDF liaison to the Palestinians, released a statement calling on civilians to leave the areas near Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals in Khan Younis due to Hamas activity. 

“Hamas operates from the Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals in Khan Younis and around them. The systematic use of hospitals by Hamas throughout Gaza has been documented, including rocket fire from the Nasser Hospital,” the statement in Arabic said. 

“Gaza residents who wish to move from Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals, as many have chosen to do, can go through the IDF corridor on Al-Bahar Street, located on the west side of the hospitals,” the statement continued. 

The IDF regularly transmits information for the citizens of Gaza in Arabic via Arabic media channels, text messages, and even leaflets dropped by aircraft over the relevant neighborhoods.  

Israel recently released evidence of a rocket launch from the Nasser Hospital compound about two weeks ago. 

Video footage on social media over the last two weeks have showed an increasingly difficult situation at Nasser Hospital, with over 350 people reportedly escaping to the hospital for refuge. 

The influx of people, coupled with the active war zone around the hospital, has made resupplying the hospital almost impossible. images from last week show garbage and medical waste have not been removed, increasing the chance of outbreaks in disease. 

In northern Gaza, Israel made emergency deliveries of medical supplies to Al-Shifa Hospital several days before issuing the order to evacuate the hospital. 

The IDF seeks to capture Hamas leaders still thought to be in the area near Khan Younis to prevent them from escaping into Egypt via smuggling tunnels. Therefore, the Israeli military has begun operating close to the Rafah border. 

Most of the IDF's activity near Rafah is restricted to targeted strikes against rocket launchers or other Hamas elements. However, according to reports in Arab and Hebrew media, Israel recently informed Egypt it intends to move soldiers to the area around Rafah, near the Egypt-Gaza border.

#Breaking: The Israel Defense Force has allegedly informed the Egyptian Government of its intention to conduct a military operation in Southern Gaza, near the city of Rafah and along the Philadelphi Corridor—a land area along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Via… pic.twitter.com/C15Xb0YDyv

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 27, 2024

While Egypt publicly condemned the IDF's decision to move troops to Rafah, it reportedly believes Egypt will not take any direct action in opposition.