Drone footage shows destruction in Gaza's Khan Younis

(19 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - 19 January 2025
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1. Various drone shots of destruction in Khan Younis, people in streets
STORYLINE:
Aerial footage on Sunday showed the devastation caused to the city of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip following 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli bombardment and ground operations have transformed entire neighbourhoods in several cities in the enclave into rubble-strewn wastelands, with blackened shells of buildings and mounds of debris stretching away in all directions.
Major roads have been ploughed up. Critical water and electricity infrastructure is in ruins. Most hospitals no longer function.
Celebrations erupted early Sunday across the Strip as people hoped for respite after 15 months of war that killed tens of thousands and destroyed large areas of the territory.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold, ushering in an initial six-week period of calm and raising hopes for the release of dozens of militant-held hostages and an end to the devastating 15-month war.
The truce, which started at 11:15 a.m. local time, is the first step toward ultimately ending the conflict and returning nearly 100 hostages abducted in Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack.
The ceasefire deal was announced last week after a year of mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should see 33 hostages returned from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released.
Many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home.
There is also supposed to be a surge of humanitarian aid, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza daily, far more than Israel allowed before.
This is just the second ceasefire in the war, longer and more consequential than a weeklong pause in November 2023, with the potential to end the fighting for good.
Over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the fatalities but does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the war killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants abducted around 250 others.
More than 100 hostages were freed during the weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.
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[@zeenatkhan760]

Heartbreaking 💔💔💔💔💔💔

[@Chiktum-f9d]

Penghancuran yang sangat kejam

[@petrufodor2570]

🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱❤️🙏🏻

[@matty_o]

So you're praising Israel for leveling Gaza? That's disgusting