At least 45 Palestinians killed as ground troops push deeper into city
The besieged city of Rafah in southern Gaza endured a relentless barrage of Israeli strikes on Friday, with at least 45 Palestinians killed as ground troops engaged in fierce close-quarter combat with Hamas militants, according to eyewitness accounts from residents and the Israeli military.
The intense bombardment and ground offensive appeared to be a concerted effort by Israeli forces to complete their capture of Rafah, a strategically vital city bordering Egypt that has been the focal point of the Israeli assault since early May.
Eyewitnesses reported a harrowing scene of tanks forcing their way into the western and northern parts of the city, having already gained control of the eastern, southern, and central areas. The indiscriminate firing from planes, tanks, and naval ships off the coast triggered a fresh wave of displacement, compounding the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
“It was a scene of utter devastation,” said Iman Ghayad, a resident of Rafah. “The thunder of explosions shook the very ground beneath our feet, and the skies were filled with smoke and the acrid smell of gunfire. We had no choice but to flee, leaving behind our homes and what little remains of our lives.”
The latest offensive has exacerbated the plight of the civilian population in Rafah, which had been sheltering more than a million internally displaced persons, the majority of whom have now been forced to flee once again in search of safety.
“The situation in Rafah is rapidly spiraling out of control,” said Heba Zayyan, a spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). “Our teams on the ground are reporting a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with families forced to seek refuge in whatever shelter they can find, often without access to basic necessities like food, water, and medical care.”
The ongoing violence in Rafah has drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations and advocacy groups, who have accused Israeli forces of employing disproportionate and indiscriminate force against civilian populations.
“The scale of destruction and the utter disregard for civilian lives in Rafah is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” said Amnesty International in a statement. “We urgently call upon the international community to intervene and hold all parties accountable for their actions.”
As the death toll continues to mount and the humanitarian crisis deepens, the prospects for a negotiated settlement or ceasefire appear increasingly remote. Hamas, the de facto governing authority in Gaza, has vowed to resist the Israeli offensive with all available means, while Israeli officials have reiterated their determination to neutralize what they describe as a “militant threat” emanating from the coastal enclave.
The Palestinian leadership has accused Israel of perpetrating war crimes and pursuing a policy of collective punishment against the civilian population of Gaza, calling for immediate international intervention to halt the violence and facilitate urgent humanitarian aid.
“The international community cannot stand idly by as innocent lives are lost and entire communities are decimated,” said Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian activist and former Minister of Information. “We call upon all nations committed to the principles of human rights and the rule of law to take decisive action and bring an end to this senseless bloodshed.”
As the conflict rages on, the voices of the civilians caught in the crossfire grow increasingly desperate, their pleas for peace and safety echoing across the battered landscape of Rafah and the broader Gaza Strip.
“We have endured unimaginable suffering, but our resilience remains unbroken,” said Fatima al-Ghoul, a mother of four who fled Rafah with her family. “We implore the world to hear our cries and to work towards a just and lasting resolution to this conflict, for the sake of our children and the generations to come.”
In the midst of this turmoil, the imperative for a peaceful resolution has never been more urgent. The international community must redouble its efforts to facilitate meaningful dialogue, address the root causes of the conflict, and prioritize the protection of civilian lives above all else.
For the people of Rafah and the broader Gaza Strip, the road ahead is fraught with uncertainty and peril, but their unwavering spirit and determination to forge a better future remain a beacon of hope in the darkness of war.
