In anticipation of a ground offensive, the Israeli armed forces have requested the evacuation of eastern neighborhoods in Rafah. This comes after an airstrike on the city killed 16 people and left hundreds of thousands of refugees from the northern part of the Palestinian enclave gathered in the area. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing for eight months now, with no sign of abating.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar are holding an emergency meeting in Doha to address the conflict that began with a Hamas attack on October 7. The US has expressed dissatisfaction with Israel’s actions, with reports indicating that American arms supplies to Israel have been interrupted for the first time. Meanwhile, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is calling for a new approach to fighting Hamas and addressing the civilian casualties in Gaza.
In response to the conflict, Israeli army continues to target the center of Gaza Strip while Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has fired rockets at an Israeli base in Golan Heights. Reports suggest famine in northern Gaza region is spreading southward and urgent humanitarian aid is needed.
To accommodate increasing flow of aid into Gaza and ensure safety of civilians amidst ongoing conflict, Israeli army has initiated limited operation to evacuate residents from eastern Rafah to designated humanitarian area. However, casualties continue to mount as 16 people were killed in an airstrike affecting two families in Rafah last night. Despite these efforts, international efforts to broker ceasefire face challenges from both sides as humanitarian situation remains precarious with urgent calls for assistance and relief needed for those affected by violence.