Rafah offensive

This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows tents and shelters for Palestinians displaced by the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas at the Mawasi camp near Rafah in the south of the Palestinian territory on May 15, 2024.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday insisted there was no "humanitarian catastrophe" in Rafah, even as hundreds of thousands fled the south Gaza city amid intense bombardments.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned his American counterpart over Israel's military offensive on Rafah in the southern Gaza where more than 1 million civilians are stranded amid insufficient humanitarian aid.

The European Union on Wednesday urged Israel to end its military operation in Gaza's Rafah "immediately", warning that failure to do so would undermine ties with the bloc.

Israel battled Hamas in Gaza on Monday, including in far-southern Rafah, despite U.S. warnings against a full-scale invasion of the crowded city and of the threat from post-war anarchy or insurgency.

Clashes have rocked the densely crowded far-southern city of Rafah but also flared again in northern and central Gaza, months after troops and tanks first entered those areas.

Israel battled Hamas in Gaza on Monday, including in far-southern Rafah, despite U.S. warnings against a full-scale invasion of the crowded city and of the threat from post-war anarchy or insurgency.

The Israeli military is moving further into northern Gaza despite increasing international pressure to stop the ground operation. Israel's objective is to reclaim an area where it previously claimed victory over Hamas several months ago.

An all-out Israeli offensive on the Gaza city of Rafah would provoke "anarchy" without eliminating Hamas, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, as death toll in the war had exceeded 35,000 people.

Separately, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized Washington's concerns about an offensive in a call with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Israel launched strikes on Gaza Sunday after it expanded an evacuation order for Rafah, with the United Nations warning an outright invasion of the crowded southern city risked an "epic" disaster.

Israeli strikes on Saturday hit parts of Gaza including Rafah where Israel expanded an evacuation order and the U.N. warned of "epic" disaster if an outright invasion of the crowded city occurs.