Over half of the Gaza Strip’s entire population is sheltering in Rafah. Much of the population was repeatedly pushed southward by Israeli military orders to move into so-called safe zones. International alarm over Israel’s plans for a ground offensive in Rafah has intensified in recent days, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press ahead with plans to invade the city near the Egyptian border. Rafah is also the primary portal for aid to Gaza, so any military operation would have disastrous consequences. Warnings against the offensive have come from nearly every part of the world, including from Israel’s most powerful allies.

Source: New York Times February 16, 2024 14:36 UTC