The main supporter of the United States warned of disaster if the Israelis moved into the region.
Israel intensified air strikes on Thursday, and according to eyewitnesses, attacks continued throughout the night and into Friday.
According to Gaza health authorities, 100 people were killed on Friday night, including at least eight in Rafah. The situation is chaotic, and the number is believed to be under-reported. The Red Crescent reported that three children were killed in an attack on Rafah.
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The United States warns
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ordered soldiers to “prepare for the operation” in Rafah. They have not yet entered the area with their soldiers. Such an operation would be very risky.
A US State Department spokesman said they do not support a ground invasion, and President Joe Biden described such an operation as excessive.
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Egypt's reaction was also strong. If ground soldiers approach the border with Egypt, or if soldiers force refugees to cross the border, the 40-year-old peace agreement between the two countries will be undermined, according to Egypt.
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Palestinians mourn their relatives who were killed outside Rafah on Thursday. Photo: Fatima Shabir/AP/NTB
The population increased fivefold
With an area of 63 square kilometers, Rafah is the most densely populated in the entire Gaza Strip. On average, 22,200 people live per square kilometre, more than five times the number before the war, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
– There is no longer anywhere for people to run, says Director of the Norwegian Refugee Council Angelita Carida.
– Repeated evacuation orders from the Israeli authorities over the past four months have forced tens of thousands of people to flee several times to unsafe areas, where there is no shelter, Karida says.
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