Misery deepens in Rafah as Israel intensifies offensive

Aid workers struggle to distribute dwindling food and other supplies to thousands of Palestinians displaced by what Israel describes as a limited operation in Rafah, while the two main crossings near the southern city of Gaza remain closed.

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees indicated that 360,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah during the last week — of the 1.3 million who were sheltering there before the operation began — most of whom had already fled fighting elsewhere in the seven months of war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel says Rafah is the armed group’s last stronghold, ignoring warnings from the United States and other allies that any major operation there would be catastrophic for civilians. Meanwhile, Hamas has regrouped in some of the most devastated parts of Gaza that Israel had previously claimed to have cleared with intense bombing and ground operations.

Thirty-eight trucks of flour arrived through the Western Erez Crossing, a second access point into northern Gaza, Abeer Etefa, spokesman for the U.N. World Food Programme, said Monday. Israel announced the opening of the crossing on Sunday.

However, no food has entered through the two main crossings in southern Gaza over the past week.

The crossing of Rafah to Egypt has been closed since Israeli troops took it over a week ago. Fighting in the city of Rafah has made it impossible for aid groups to access the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.

Over the past week, the Israeli military has intensified bombing and other operations in Rafah, while ordering the population to evacuate from parts of the city. Israel insists it is a limited operation focused on eradicating Hamas tunnels and other infrastructure on the border with Egypt.

Almost the entire population of Gaza depends on the operations of humanitarian groups for the distribution of food and other supplies to survive. Some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza face catastrophic levels of hunger, according to the UN.

The war began when Hamas stormed southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 250 hostage. Israel’s offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian sources.

Israel marked Memorial Day, a particularly somber day, on Monday with ceremonies across the country. At rallies at the Mount Herzl cemetery on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed once again to defeat Hamas.

“We are determined to win this fight. We have demanded and will demand a high price from the enemy for his criminal acts. We will achieve the objectives of victory and at the center of them the return of all our hostages home“, said.