Israeli army expands ground assault in Rafah

By Anadolu Staff

GAZA, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army has intensified its ground assault in the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 16 Palestinians overnight in the city of Rafah and the capture of two-thirds of the border between Gaza and Egypt.

Israel's attacks on the blockaded Gaza Strip have been continuing for 235 days without interruption, while the army's attacks on Rafah in the south of Gaza continue.

The Israeli army expanded its ground attacks in the Philadelphia Corridor, the border between Gaza and Egypt, with intense air and ground bombardment and captured two-thirds of the Gaza-Egypt border.

About 16 Palestinians were killed and dozens of civilians were injured as a result of the heavy bombardment carried out by the Israeli army in the city center and western parts of Rafah city throughout the night, local sources told Anadolu.

- Israel targets tent camp, kills 7

Israel targeted the tent camp in Rafah, where displaced Palestinians took refuge after being bombarded on May 26.

Seven of the 16 Palestinians killed in the nighttime attacks in Rafah were residents of the tent camp in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, northwest of Rafah, which was bombed again by the Israeli army.

Israel bombed the tents of displaced Palestinians in Rafah on May 26, killing at least 45 Palestinians, including 23 women, children and the elderly, and injuring 249 Palestinians despite the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) order to stop attacks.

The Israeli army bombarded the settlements in the central and western parts of Rafah city, in addition to the attacks it has continued for two days in the Tal al-Sultan region, according to the Anadolu correspondent in the region.

Those killed and injured in the Israeli attacks on densely populated settlements are being transported to the United Arab Emirates Hospital, which serves in Rafah city under intense attacks.

- Migration under Israeli attacks

Witnesses reported that Israel targeted the minarets of several mosques in Rafah city with artillery shells. Indonesian Hospital in the Tal al-Sultan area was also targeted, and patients and medical teams were trapped inside due to the attacks.

Emphasizing that Israel heavily bombarded the western parts of the city with howitzer artillery, eyewitnesses said that Israeli tanks were deployed in the city.

Hundreds of families started to migrate from Rafah under Israeli attacks since morning, said witnesses, noting that the continuous attacks throughout the night forced many families to flee barefoot.

Most of the Palestinian families forced to migrate from the western parts of Rafah city walked towards al-Mawasi area of Rafah on foot.

The Israeli army came within 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) of the west of Rafah city, and is 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) away from reaching the sea from the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Thus, the Israeli army is close to completely cutting off the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

Israel continued its brutal offensive on Gaza despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 36,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, and over 81,000 others injured since October following an attack by Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes 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, which has ordered Tel Aviv to stop attacking Rafah, ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Yasin Gungor in Istanbul