Gaza: Israeli tanks have captured the main road dividing the eastern and western halves of Rafah, effectively encircling the entire eastern side of the city in the southern Gaza Strip.
Hamas said it ambushed Israeli tanks near a mosque in the east of the city, a sign the Israelis had penetrated several kilometres from the east to the outskirts of the built-up area.
Residents described almost constant explosions and gunfire east and northeast of the city, with intense fighting between Israeli forces and members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that a ground attack in Gaza’s Rafah would lead to an “epic humanitarian disaster”.
“We are actively engaged with all involved for the resumption of the entry of life-saving supplies, including desperately needed fuel, through Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings,” Guterres said during a visit to Nairobi, adding that famine was looming.
The European Union has also condemned the attack against the UNRWA compound in occupied East Jerusalem and called for the culprits to be brought to task.
“Perpetrators must be held to account,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borell, said on X.
“It is Israel’s responsibility to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers,” he added, calling the UN agency for Palestinian refugees “an irreplaceable lifeline to millions in Gaza and the region”.
