Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Egyptian trucks bringing fuel, food to Gaza make U-turn after Rafah crossing bombed

By Gianluca Pacchiani 10 October 2023, 4:58 pm 33 Edit

Gianluca Pacchiani is the Arab affairs reporter for The Times of Israel

Following the IAF’s afternoon strike at the Rafah crossing, the only active land crossing out of Gaza with the border to Israel sealed, Egyptian trucks that were on the way to the Strip with fuel and goods are forced to turn back.

The bombing came in spite of the fact that an Israeli military official this morning advised Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt through Rafah amid the ongoing war with the Hamas terror group. The IDF has since walked back that statement.

Channel 12 claims the crossing was hit to prevent Egypt from providing a lifeline to the besieged Strip.

The IDF has said it hit an underground tunnel for smuggling weapons and equipment in the Rafah area, on the Egypt-Gaza border, but did not confirm or deny hitting the crossing itself.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip yesterday, including stopping the supply of electricity, food and fuel.

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