Israeli forces have moved towards Khan Younis because they believe that Hamas units in the north have become “dismantled”, Omar Ashour, professor at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, tells Al Jazeera.

“What they’re doing right now is deploying some of their elite, the tip of the spear if you wish, the elite troops [to Khan Younis],” he said.

“I think they will continue all the way to the south. So next will be Deir El Balah and then next will be Rafah. What they’re doing since the beginning of the operation, they’re trying to isolate areas.”

Ashour added that the reason behind this tactic is that the Israeli army is trying to be “careful: since they cannot take the enclave at once and need to limit their casualties.