Residents of Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, tell Reuters that the Israeli military appears to be trying to complete its capture of the city with intensive firefights.
Tanks were reportedly forcing their way into the western and northern parts of the city, having already captured the east, south and center. Israeli forces are said to have fired toward the city from planes, tanks and ships off the coast.
Some residents say the pace of the Israeli raid has been accelerated over the past two days, with nonstop sounds of explosions and gunfire.
“The entire city of Rafah is an area of Israeli military operations,” Ahmed Al-Sofi, the mayor of Rafah, says in a statement carried by Hamas media.
The IDF first began operating in the city in mid-May after months of stalling amid heavy international pressure against the move.
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From the Liveblog of
Friday, June 21, 2024
