Israeli tanks have rolled into Rafah. What does this mean for the Palestinians sheltering there?
Israel has launched an operation on Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, and seized control of the Gaza side of the key Rafah border crossing with Egypt
By Julia Frankel, Melanie Lidman And Jack Jeffery
Published - May 07, 2024, 01:33 PM ET
Last Updated - May 27, 2024, 01:01 AM EDT
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli tanks that entered the periphery of Rafah early Tuesday stoked global fears that an offensive on Gaza's southernmost city could endanger the more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there.
The ground assault dimmed hopes of an immediate cease-fire deal that the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have spent months pushing for. In the hours before the attack began, Hamas agreed to a cease-fire proposal that the Israeli government swiftly rejected.
About 1.3 million Palestinians — more than half of Gaza’s population — are jammed into Rafah and face the prospect of having to evacuate with no good plan for where to find adequate shelter.
Here's what we know so far about the operation and evacuation plan.
