December 10, 2023

Israel ordered residents out of the center of Gaza's main southern city Khan Younis on Saturday and pounded the length of the enclave, after the United States wielded its UN Security Council veto to shield its ally from a demand for a ceasefire.

Since a truce collapsed last week, Israel has expanded its ground assault into the southern half of the Gaza Strip by pushing into Khan Younis. Simultaneously, both sides have reported a surge in fighting in the north.

Israel said its campaign was making progress. National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said Israeli forces had killed at least 7,000 Hamas militants so far, without saying how that estimate was reached, and military chief Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi told soldiers "we need to press harder."

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