Israeli army destroys entire Palestinian side of Rafah border crossing, renders it unusable

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip is no longer usable after its Palestinian side has been completely destroyed by the Israeli army, the Israeli Army Radio reported Wednesday.

A video clip posted by the radio on X showed extensive destruction caused by the Israeli army at the crossing, with the main hall appearing completely leveled and surrounding buildings demolished.

“This is how Rafah crossing looks today, completely destroyed and no longer usable, after being taken over by Brigade 401 in one night,” the radio station commented.

It added: “Due to its relative proximity to the border, the Israeli army used the crossing as a stopping point and resting area.”

On May 7, the Israeli army took control of the crossing, one day after Tel Aviv announced a military operation in Rafah city, which was crowded with displaced people, disregarding international warnings about the consequences.

The radio pointed out that the army “is effectively controlling” the Philadelphi Corridor along the border between Gaza and Egypt.

“The Israeli army has already started thinking about the long-term control of the Philadelphi Corridor,” it stated.

The video showed an Israeli bulldozer demolishing a building near the Philadelphi Corridor and the tents that displaced Palestinians had to leave in haste before the Israeli attack on Rafah.

The radio reported: "Here's a reminder of what was in Rafah before the Israeli army entered the area: massive tents for displaced people and refugees, which are now completely empty."

Regarding the battles in the area, the radio reported that Israeli soldiers “face a major challenge in Rafah, namely booby-trapped buildings.”

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

Nearly 37,400 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and more than 85,400 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Over eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul