Israel on Saturday ordered a new evacuation in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, preparing to expand its operation, saying it was also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped, writes UNN citing France 24.
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Fighting is escalating across the enclave, with fierce clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants on the outskirts of Rafah, making important nearby checkpoints inaccessible and forcing more than 110,000 people to flee northward, the publication wrote.
"Israel’s move into Rafah has so far been short of the full-scale invasion that it has planned," the publication notes.
The United Nations and other agencies have warned for weeks that an Israeli offensive on Rafah, which borders Egypt near major humanitarian aid delivery points, would cripple humanitarian operations and cause a catastrophic increase in civilian casualties. More than 1.4 million Palestinians - half of Gaza's population - have taken refuge in Rafah, most of whom have fled Israeli offensives elsewhere, the publication said.