May 9 (BBC/GNA) – More than 80,000 people have fled the southern Gaza city of Rafah since Monday, the UN says, as Israeli tanks reportedly mass close to built-up areas amid constant bombardment.
Palestinian armed groups said they were targeting Israeli troops to the east.
Israel’s military has said its ground forces are conducting “targeted activity” in eastern Rafah.
The UN also warned that food and fuel were running out because it was not receiving aid through nearby crossings.
Israeli troops took control and closed the Rafah crossing with Egypt at the start of their operation, while the UN said it was too dangerous for its staff and lorries to reach the reopened Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.
It came as Israel’s prime minister rejected a threat by the US president to stop supplying some weapons if it launched a major assault on “population centres” in Rafah. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel could “stand alone” if necessary.
After seven months of war in Gaza, Israel has insisted victory is impossible without taking the city and eliminating the last remaining Hamas battalions.
But with more than a million displaced Palestinians sheltering there, the UN and Western powers have warned that an all-out assault could lead to mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian catastrophe.
GNA/Credit: BBC