RAFAH, Palestinian Territories: Israel on Saturday struck parts of Gaza, including Rafah, where Israel extended an evacuation order and the UN warned of an “epic” disaster if there was a direct invasion of the crowded city.
Journalists, medics and witnesses reported strikes across the coastal territory, where the UN says humanitarian aid is blocked after Israeli troops defied international opposition and entered eastern Rafah this week, effectively closing a key aid crossing and suspending traffic through others.
At least 21 people were killed in strikes in central Gaza and taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, the hospital said.
Bodies draped in white lay on the ground in the facility’s yard. A man in a baseball cap leaned over one body bag, clutching a dust-covered hand that stuck out.
Another corpse’s legs protruded from under the blanket with the picture of a large teddy bear.
In Rafah, witnesses reported intense airstrikes near the crossing with Egypt, and media images showed smoke rising over the town.
Other strikes took place in northern Gaza, witnesses said.
Hamas on Saturday accused Israel of “expanding the invasion of Rafah to include new areas in the center and west of the city”.
Israeli troops occupied and closed the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing – through which all fuel passes into Gaza – on Tuesday after ordering residents of eastern Rafah to evacuate.
The army said on Saturday that the soldiers were involved in “operational activity” at the crossing where they fought against “armed terrorists” and found “numerous underground tunnel shafts”.
As mediation efforts for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages appeared to have stalled, Hamas’ armed wing said the hostage, whose video it released earlier on Saturday, had died of injuries sustained in an Israeli strike.
The new evacuation order for eastern Rafah, posted on X by military spokesman Avichay Adraee, said the designated areas had “witnessed terrorist activities by Hamas in recent days and weeks.”
Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari later said “we have eliminated dozens of terrorists in eastern Rafah”.
Hamas said in a statement that Israel’s “continued control” and the closure of the Rafah crossing were exacerbating the “humanitarian disaster” in the besieged territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “eliminate” Hamas battalions in Rafah after the army said in January it had dismantled the militant group’s command structure in northern Gaza.
But on Saturday, Adraee said Hamas was “trying to rebuild” there and ordered the evacuation of the Jabalia refugee camp in the north and the Beit Lahia area.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Gaza risks an “epic humanitarian disaster” if Israel launches a large-scale ground operation in Rafah.
Israel’s military said it reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing near Rafah on Wednesday, but aid agencies warned that getting aid through the militarized area was still extremely difficult.
The military said on Saturday that rockets had been fired at the Kerem Shalom crossing, but reported no injuries.
Israel said its Erez crossing into northern Gaza remains open.
Charles Michel, the EU chief, said on social media that Rafah civilians were being ordered to “unsafe zones” and called it “unacceptable”.
