The Palestinian Authority has urgently requested immediate US intervention to stop Israel from invading Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, according to the official Palestinian WAFA news agency.
This appeal came as Israeli forces took control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, and tanks advanced into the city amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Cairo between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas has criticized the Israeli offensive as a deliberate attempt to derail the truce discussions. Meanwhile, international aid organizations have expressed concern that the closure of Gaza’s main southern crossings, Rafah and Kerem Shalom, has almost completely isolated the region, severely limiting access to external aid and critical supplies.
Israeli Army Radio reported that their forces had seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing early Tuesday, with military footage displaying tanks moving through the area and the Israeli flag being hoisted on the Gaza side.
Despite global calls for restraint, Israeli tanks and aircraft continued to target various sites in Rafah overnight. The Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli strikes throughout the enclave had resulted in 54 Palestinian fatalities and 96 injuries in the last 24 hours.
