Pakistan, July 21 -- Israeli tanks entered Deir Al-Balah for the first time on Monday, raising alarm among families of hostages believed to be held in the area. The military targeted parts of southern and eastern Deir Al-Balah after ordering residents to evacuate a day earlier. According to Gaza medics, tank shelling hit eight houses and three mosques, killing at least three Palestinians and injuring several others. This sudden escalation forced dozens of families to flee westward toward the coastal zones and nearby Khan Younis.

Earlier the same day, an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis killed five people, including a man, his wife, and their two children who were sheltering in a tent. There was no official Israeli response regarding thes...