The Israeli army says in the morning hours on Tuesday that it has “operational control” over the Gaza side of the border crossing. The IDF also says that the majority of the population in the area has been “evacuated for military reasons”.
The operation was led by the army’s 162nd Division and the 401st Armored Brigade. They are cooperating with special units already in the eastern Rafah area, Haaretz writes, referring to a statement from the military (IDF).
An Egyptian source stated on Monday that Israeli tanks had entered the city, and that they were approximately 200 meters from the border with Egypt.
Broken
According to the IDF, 150 Hamas targets have been destroyed and the Israeli forces have fought for full control of the Gaza side of the border crossing. At least 20 Hamas soldiers have been killed, says the Israeli announcement. Several tunnel shafts are also said to have been destroyed.
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The Palestinian border station is about three kilometers from the Egyptian border.
The IDF states that the Kerem Shalom border crossing, between Gaza and Israel, is closed until further notice for security reasons. It is not far from Rafah.
Stop for trucks
The Hamas official Waek Abu Omer, who is in charge of communications at the border crossing, says according to Haaretz that all humanitarian aid into Gaza via Rafah has been temporarily stopped due to the presence of the Israeli forces.
– Since Monday, the western part of Rafah has become an active war zone. The shelling has not stopped, says Abu Omar to AP.
Rafah is located in the very south of the Gaza Strip and borders the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.
Earlier on Monday, Palestinians in Rafah were told to go to so-called humanitarian areas in anticipation of the long-announced Israeli ground invasion, and Israel says that “targeted attacks” have been carried out against Hamas targets in Rafah.
