Palestinians streamed out of Rafah as Israel pounded the area, issued additional evacuation orders east of Gaza’s most southern city and truce negotiations ground to a halt.
On Saturday, Israel ordered displaced Palestinians in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza where Hamas forces have reportedly regrouped, and nearly a dozen other neighborhoods in the territory to immediately move. Heavy fighting between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli ground forces were reported south of Gaza City and in eastern Rafah, including in the area of Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, in recent days.
Israel seized control of Rafah Crossing earlier in the week and closed Kerem Shalom on Monday after a deadly rocket attack against troops positioned nearby the previous day.
“The closure of the crossings means no fuel. It means no trucks, no generators, no water, no electricity and no movement of people or goods,” Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian chief, said on Thursday. ….more
