Unthinkable Devastation in Khan Younis: Once a Haven, Now Ruined

Amidst the ruins of a once vibrant neighborhood in central Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza currently at the heart of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, lies a vast crater surrounded by the shattered remnants of everyday life. Scattered in the debris are items like clothing, a red makeup bag in the mud, an English textbook, fragments of furniture, and a pillow adorned with floral embroidery, all telling silent stories of the lives disrupted by warfare.

Khan Younis, known as the hometown of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, has been labeled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a key stronghold for the group. In the initial stages of the conflict, it was here that the Israeli military directed civilians to evacuate, signaling the intensity of military operations to follow.

The destruction in Khan Younis, particularly the creation of the massive crater, reveals the extent of the IDF’s engagement in the area. The IDF has stated that the obliterated building, once standing like others in the vicinity, was demolished due to its concealment of an entrance to an extensive network of underground tunnels. These tunnels, according to the IDF, have been utilized by Sinwar among other Hamas officials as hiding spots since the conflict’s outset and are believed to have been used to detain some of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7.