Israeli military operations intensified in the southern border city of Rafah in Gaza on Thursday, targeting areas where a significant portion of Gaza’s population seeks shelter. This escalation occurred a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a ceasefire proposal from Hamas, labelling its terms, which included the release of hostages, as “delusional.” Netanyahu expressed determination to pursue victory, believing it to be within grasp in the coming months.
The rejection of the ceasefire proposal followed extensive diplomatic efforts to resolve the four-and-a-half-month conflict amid looming threats of an Israeli incursion into Rafah. The city, now housing over one million people, is characterised by makeshift shelters and shortages of essential supplies like food and medicine.
Witnesses reported Israeli airstrikes on residential areas of Rafah on Thursday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 individuals across two targeted houses. Additionally, tank shelling was observed in eastern Rafah, heightening fears among residents of an imminent ground offensive.
Aid agencies have sounded alarms over the potential for a humanitarian catastrophe should Israel proceed with its plans to enter one of the few remaining areas of Gaza not yet occupied by its troops.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Wednesday that any Israeli advance into Rafah, situated on the border with Egypt, would exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation with far-reaching regional consequences.
For those displaced to Rafah, comprising nearly half of Gaza’s total population, the options are stark: endure the overcrowded conditions of Rafah, once home to 280,000 people, and await potential attack, or risk traversing northward through areas still embroiled in conflict.