The road to Gaza is a muddy swamp. We traveled for more than an hour in armored Israeli military vehicles, through deserted and destroyed neighborhoods in the south of the Strip.
There are no windows to see through, but from the video footage on the small screens inside the cabin, I detected no sign of civilian life and no building untouched by months of war.
Khan Yunis has witnessed the heaviest fighting in recent weeks, and we were the first journalists to have access to the city center since the war began.
The IDF says it controls the area, but during our time there, the shooting was fairly constant and the drones were flying low. The battle doesn't seem to be over.
We brought the IDF to see a network of tunnels running under the city.
Middle East Latest:
Iran says it “does not provide weapons” to the Houthis
There were no signs of civilian life in a video showing the surrounding area
Deep inside Khan Yunis, at a depth of 25 metres, the narrow tunnels are extremely hot and cramped, but sometimes they open into more spacious living quarters with bathrooms, kitchens and sleeping areas.
And then something more sinister – a cell with metal bars and a door that the Israeli army says it has become accustomed to Hostage taking.
They claim to have DNA evidence that three of the released hostages were here.
A cell that the Israeli army says was used by Hamas to hold hostages
“If anyone in the world needs evidence of the horrific acts committed by the terrorist entity Hamas, you are there,” says General Dan Goldfus, commander of the 98th Parachute Division that captured the city.
Above ground, fierce gun battles took place nearby.
Drones flew at low altitude and explosions were heard from time to time.
It seemed that there were no buildings untouched by the months of war
In the dense heart of the city, it was difficult to get direction and know how close the fighting was, but the soldiers with us took up positions, their rifles trained on the streets around us.
After four months of fighting, the Israeli army has yet to find or remove many of the tunnels agitation.
Sky's Alastair Boncal speaks to the IDF's General Dan Goldfus
“War is not a pretty sight – my people have been killed.”
“The Palestinian people here have paid, and are paying, a heavy price for this,” I told General Goldfus.
“They are,” he agreed. “But so do I. I think they should direct their anger at Hamas.”
But they have nothing to go back to and will direct their anger at you, she suggested.
“Maybe, maybe they do,” he answers. “But in the end, it's a war above, and it's a war down here.” “War is not a pretty sight. My people were killed on October 7, 2023, slaughtered and burned. What would Britain do if a terrorist entity entered Britain?”
Sky's Alistair Boncal explores an alleged Hamas tunnel under Khan Yunis
Israel He promised that this would be an unprecedented war. Its forces and politicians pledged to defeat Hamas and return the hostages home.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that a ground operation would begin soon in Rafah in the far south, the only remaining urban center that Israeli army forces had not yet entered.
It is also where more than a million people have fled to, and is one of the last remaining “safe areas”, although it is regularly attacked by air raids.
Read more:
Former Hamas hostage, 9 years old, was threatened with a knife
Inside Israel's preparations for war with Hezbollah
How drone warfare is changing the global balance of power
Warnings of “disaster” if the IDF moves south
EgyptConcerned that there will be a mass exodus of refugees across the border, she expressed grave concern about the entry of the IDF into Rafah.
Humanitarian organizations have Warn of disaster.
More than 27,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the conflict, including at least 16,000 civilians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
However, Israel continues to fight. Hamas killed more than 1,200 people in the attacks on October 7. Hundreds more were taken hostage.
But with Hamas also continuing to fight, Israel cannot yet claim victory, and time may be running out.
Palestinians hold their green ID cards hoping to be allowed to pass through an Israeli checkpoint
Israel has agreed to the framework of the new hostage deal and is awaiting Hamas' approval.
If it goes ahead, there could be a long pause in fighting, which Western and Arab countries may want to turn into a permanent ceasefire.
When the end comes, it's hard to imagine what's left of it GazaBecause I've seen what revenge looks like – almost complete destruction.
