Gaza
\nHamas on Saturday warned that there could be \u201ctens of thousands\u201d of dead and injured if the Israeli military attacked Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this week said he had ordered troops to prepare to go into the city, crowded with displaced Palestinians, as it hunts down those responsible for the deadly October 7 attacks on southern Israel.
\nThe announcement has prompted concern from foreign governments including the United States and aid agencies grappling with a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of the war.
\nHamas said in a statement that any military action would have catastrophic repercussion that \u201cmay lead to tens of thousands of martyrs and injured if Rafah\u2026 is invaded\u201d. The Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip said it would hold \u201cthe American administration, international community and the Israeli occupation\u201d responsible if that happened.
\nRafah, on Gaza\u2019s southern border with Egypt, has become a last refuge for civilians fleeing a relentless Israeli bombing campaign elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
\nThe UN says about half of Gaza\u2019s 2.4 million people are now sheltering in the city, with many sleeping outside in tents and makeshift shelters, and mounting concern about lack of food, water and sanitation.
\nOn Friday, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said a major Israeli offensive in Rafah \u201ccan only lead to an additional layer of endless tragedy\u201d.
\nNetanyahu has ordered military officials to draw up plans for \u201cevacuating\u201d Rafah alongside \u201cdestroying\u201d Hamas fighters in the city.
\nWitnesses reported new strikes on Rafah early Saturday, raising fears among Palestinians of a looming ground invasion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gaza Hamas on Saturday warned that there could be \u201ctens of thousands\u201d of dead and injured if the Israeli military attacked Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this week said he had ordered troops to prepare to go into the city, crowded with displaced Palestinians, as it hunts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":386438,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-386427","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n