Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis was besieged by the Israeli military on Tuesday, in a bid to capture the city that has been putting up stiff resistance against Israel since early December, writes newarab.com.

The push is led by Israel’s 98th Division and has seen the encirclement of the city’s Al-Amal Hospital, Nasser Medical Complex and the Al-Khair Hospital, with tanks operating near hospital grounds.

The city’s current population, many of whom were displaced from other areas, are facing the prospect of fleeing once again amid increasingly dire conditions imposed by Israel.

The New Arab’s Gaza Correspondent Sally Ibrahim described the situation as dire, with Palestinian fighters engaged in heavy clashes with the Israeli army, which is besieging and bombing the city.

Israels’ military announced this morning that 24 soldiers had been killed assault on the south. This includes 21 soldiers who were killed when Palestinian fighters fired RPGs at a tank and a building that the army were rigging with explosives.