The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) today ordered the evacuation of the eastern part of the Gaza town of Khan Younis and minutes later launched a wave of shelling, killing 12 people and wounding dozens.

The official Wafa news agency reported that the IDF also decided to reduce the size of the so-called safe zone of Al Mawasi, near the town, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering.

Although declared safe, the area has been the target of several Israeli attacks, including one 10 days ago that killed 90 people and wounded 300 on the pretext of eliminating Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’s military wing.

Wafa noted that «immediately after the army’s decision, an intensive air and ground bombardment operation was launched against Khan Younis, without giving the citizens a chance to flee».

Al Jazeera television said the new attack came only 15 minutes after the evacuation order, announced by IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee.

The official issued the alert on the grounds of a new military offensive against Palestinian militias in the area.

According to the UN, more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million Gazans have become refugees since the beginning of the current cycle of violence on 7 October.

Much of Khan Younis was destroyed following a ground offensive launched late last year.

Al Jazeera reported that in the last week Israeli aircraft struck the Nuseirat refugee camp 63 times, killing 91 people and injuring 251 others.

Numerous casualties have also been reported in recent hours as a result of Israeli raids on several areas of the coastal enclave.

Medical sources said that three citizens were killed and others wounded after shelling on a house in the northern Gaza City neighbourhood of Al-Tuffah.