Israeli forces have reportedly advanced into the center of Rafah, a southern Gaza city, seizing a strategically important hill overlooking the border with Egypt. Witnesses and local journalists confirmed tanks stationed at the al-Awda roundabout, a key landmark, and Zoroub Hill, which grants control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a vital strip of land along the border. The Israeli military has stated that its troops continue to target “terror targets” in Rafah, three weeks into the ground operation.
The IDF reported on Wednesday May 29th, that they have uncovered a “1.5km long terrorist tunnel route in eastern Rafah containing dozens of anti-tank missiles and weapons.”
UNCOVERED: 1.5km long terrorist tunnel route in eastern Rafah containing dozens of anti-tank missiles and weapons was dismantled.
Only 100 meters from the Rafah Crossing, our soldiers located a tunnel shaft branching into several different routes that contained several blast… pic.twitter.com/OtOHCy2a78
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 29, 2024
The offensive has escalated international isolation for Israel, with three European nations—Spain, Ireland, and Norway—formally recognizing a Palestinian state, and the UN Security Council calling an emergency meeting to address the Gaza situation. Despite this, the Israeli military has intensified its operations. Overnight strikes in the Tel al-Sultan area resulted in 21 fatalities.
The IDF denied responsibility for the latest strike and attributed the fire in the area to secondary explosions from Hamas-stored ammunition. However, the ongoing bombardment in western Rafah has caused significant casualties and displacement. International agencies, including the UN, have highlighted the dire humanitarian conditions, with the UNRWA noting that the situation makes providing assistance increasingly difficult.
The White House has stated that Israel’s actions do not cross any US red lines, but stressed the importance of monitoring the impact on Palestinian civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the previous strike a “tragic mistake” but vowed to continue operations.
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