Israeli Forces Advance in Gaza, Stranding Refugees and Endangering Aid Operations

Israeli forces have intensified their attacks in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and other areas, disrupting humanitarian operations and forcing over 110,000 Palestinian refugees to flee, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

Sam Rose, the director of planning for UNRWA, described the situation in Rafah as dire, with continuous bombardment and advancing Israeli troops leading to a medieval siege and scorched-earth warfare.

Israel‘s control of the Rafah border crossing has effectively blocked vital humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, prompting concerns of imminent shortages in essential supplies like fuel and water.

Hospitals in Rafah are overwhelmed, with facilities like Al-Najjar Hospital forced to shut down, leaving critically ill patients stranded without proper care.