Israel expands offensive in southern Gaza, forces evacuations from city

The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of a large part of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza, as it escalates its ground offensive against Hamas. This comes after the Israeli military had previously ordered Gaza residents to leave the north and seek shelter in the south. Witnesses have reported seeing tanks to the east, and a local hospital has been overwhelmed by casualties. The Israeli military has said it will operate with "maximum force" in the south, as it has done in the north. Israel launched a full-scale campaign against Gaza in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas gunmen, resulting in widespread destruction and casualties. A temporary ceasefire fell apart on Friday, leading to further air strikes and bombings in Khan Younis. The city's population has swelled to approximately 1.2 million, with dozens of casualties, including women and children, arriving at local hospitals. Witnesses have also seen Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles moving through the area. The IDF has warned civilians to avoid certain roads, which they say have become a "battlefield". The IDF has introduced a scheme to guide Gazans to safer areas using leaflets with QR codes, but some residents are not aware of the map or cannot access it due to the lack of internet coverage. Hospitals in the area are overwhelmed and struggling to provide adequate care to the injured.