Arabic-language media outlets reported early Tuesday that Israeli tanks had advanced deep into the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, expanding their military operation after a night of airstrikes pounded the city. According to Reuters, the Israeli military entered the center of Rafah, with tanks spotted by Palestinians near the Muaid Al-Auda junction, a central landmark in the city. The military did not immediately comment.
The intensifying Israeli offensive caused nearly one million Gazans to flee Rafah over the past three weeks, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Footage emerged Tuesday morning showing the devastation in Rafah from the overnight Israeli airstrikes, but the claims of dozens of Palestinians being killed have not been proved. The targets of the attack were two senior Hamas terrorists. The military escalation comes as Israel aims to prevent and mitigate post-traumatic stress disorder among its soldiers from the intense combat. The Defense Ministry is tripling its funding for organizations that provide support to troops who experienced battlefield trauma.
Video: Palestinians evacuate from Rafah
There were also several false alerts about hostile aircraft breaching Israeli airspace in the northern Galilee region on Tuesday. Air raid sirens sounded in the town of Kfar Giladi. As the conflict raged for its 235th day, the onslaught on Rafah, which is Hamas' last main stronghold, is nearing an end.
