UN reports 800,000 people displaced from Rafah due to Israeli attack

Heavy clashes and bombardment rocked the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday, as the United Nations reported that 800,000 people had been “forced to flee” an Israeli assault on Hamas militants.

Israel’s military conducted air strikes on more than 70 targets across Gaza, with ground troops engaging in “targeted raids” in eastern Rafah, resulting in the deaths of 50 militants and the discovery of numerous tunnel shafts.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, stated that since the Israeli operation in Rafah began, there had been a significant displacement of people. Nearly half of the population of Rafah, or 800,000 individuals, were forced to flee due to the military operation.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, retaliated by firing rockets towards Israel’s port of Ashkelon and targeting an Israeli command center in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

The ongoing conflict has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with aid groups expressing concerns about the lack of access to essential supplies. The closure of key land crossings has hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid, prompting the use of a temporary floating pier to transport aid into Gaza.

As the violence continues to escalate, international efforts for a ceasefire are underway, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan scheduled to meet with key regional leaders. The toll of the conflict continues to rise, with casualties on both sides and a growing humanitarian emergency in Gaza.