Rafah, May 25, 2024 – During the night of intense warfare, the Israeli tanks entered into Rafah, a crowded area of southern Gaza on Wednesday. This is one of the biggest gains made by Israeli forces since they began their ground operation in the area this month.
The attack on Rafah, a city at the southern fringe of the Gaza Strip, has displaced hundreds of thousands of its inhabitants, while the city was once home to more than half of the 2. 3 million inhabitants. The conflict also continues to affect major supply roads for humanitarian aid, leading the international community to fear the potential high death toll and famine situation.
Residents and militants said that the Israeli tanks advanced west along the southern border line with Egypt on Wednesday and deployed on the boundary of the Yibna area, the center of Rafah. However, they were still unable to get into the neighborhood and fierce fighting ensured they could not.
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Hamas’ armed wing said its fighters targeted two Israeli armored troop carriers at a border fence gate using anti-tank rockets. Local Palestinians said that Israeli drones were dropping flares in the area of Yibna and shelling fishing boats at night in Rafah’s beach some of which caught fire.
A resident of Rafah claimed an ongoing Israeli attack during the night by various aerial and ground vehicles made a limited advance southeast under fire. The Israeli military did not comment on Rafah but acknowledged targeted operations that killed several fighters in Khan Younis and the northern Gaza Strip, where they said they had dismantled Hamas.
The international community is concerned with the ongoing violence and the casualties of civilians in Gaza as the conflict progresses.
