Israeli occupation forces continued their carpet bombings targeting areas east of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza this evening, amid fears of a looming ground invasion of the densely populated province.

Local sources reported that Israeli warplanes and artillery intensified their shelling of eastern Rafah, accompanied by the launch of flares into the city’s sky, especially in the eastern areas, with dozens of reconnaissance drones flying overhead.

There were also reports of Israeli military vehicles advancing towards the eastern border fence of Rafah, located in the farthest south of the Gaza Strip.

The city currently serves as the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the besieged enclave. Since the beginning of the ground offensive launched by Israeli occupation forces on Gaza on October 27th last year, citizens have been ordered by the Israeli occupation army to move from the north and center of the Strip to the south, claiming it was a “safe zone.”

Today, Rafah, with its narr
ow estimated area of about 65 square kilometers, accommodates more than 1.5 million Palestinians, the majority of whom have been forced to flee during the initial phases of the Israeli aggression seeking safety.

Displaced individuals face dire conditions inside thousands of tents scattered throughout the city, with sidewalks even crowded with these tents, and main roads turning into congested markets.

The Rafah border crossing is also a lifeline for Gaza’s 2.2 million population, serving as the sole land gateway for aid delivery and the evacuation of the injured. Any Israeli military attack on Rafah means depriving the population of food and medical assistance.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon