Israeli army takes control of the border in Rafah

The military said forces were scanning the area in the morning after launching a ground and air operation in a part of the eastern Rafah on Monday evening, amid diplomatic efforts abroad to reach a new ceasefire.

The Gaza Passing Authority said in a statement that taking control of Israel was a “death penalty” against Gaza residents, especially the sick and injured.

Throughout the seven-month war, Rafah the only one not run by Israel has been the main line of rescue for the 2.3 million Gaza Palestinians, allowing humanitarian supplies from and transporting patients abroad during severe shortages and destruction of health care facilities.

The Israeli Army said a limited operation in Rafah was intended to kill the fighters and dismantle the infrastructure used by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group declared a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union.

Israel's closest ally, the U.S.A., has cautioned against an attack on Rafah, the last city for about half of Gaza's population.

Palestinian health players said Israeli tanks and planes hit several areas in Rafah overnight, killing 20 Palestinians and wounding several others in the stings at least four homes.

Residents said Israel had issued new tracts Tuesday, again warning people to leave the eastern Rafah areas.

Israeli tanks also bombed the eastern areas of Bay Laha, Jabalia and Bay Hanun in the north of the Gaza Strip, residents said.

The Israeli army said that most people and several international organizations had evacuated the eastern Rafah area in which they were operating. He also said he killed about 20 fighters and found three shafts of the tunnel.

Another nearby checkpoint, controlled by Israel, Kerem Shalom, closed on Tuesday for security reasons and will reopen once the security situation allows, the military said.

Israel has killed more than 34.700 Palestinians in its air, land and sea attacks in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

The UN has said the hunger crisis is under way in northern Gaza and is heading south.

The war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7th, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 252 others, of whom 133 are believed to remain in Gaza, according to Israeli data. REL