Israeli forces have reportedly advanced to the center of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, seizing a strategically significant hill overlooking the border with Egypt. According to witnesses and local journalists, tanks are now stationed at the al-Awda roundabout, a key landmark, and have also occupied Zoroub Hill. This positions Israel with control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip of land along the border leading to the sea.
The Israeli military has stated that its troops continue operations against “terror targets” in Rafah, three weeks into their ground campaign. Residents reported intense bombardments in the western parts of the city overnight, despite global condemnation following an airstrike and subsequent fire on Sunday that killed dozens of Palestinians at a camp for displaced people.
The Israeli military is investigating whether the fire was caused by an explosion of Hamas-stored weapons in the vicinity. Additionally, the military has denied local health officials’ reports that tank shells hit another camp in al-Mawasi, killing at least 21 people on Tuesday afternoon.
The United Nations reports that around a million people have fled the fighting in Rafah, although several hundred thousand may still be sheltering there. Israel maintains that capturing Rafah is essential for victory in its ongoing seven-month conflict with Hamas, dismissing warnings of severe humanitarian consequences.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated “targeted” ground operations against Hamas in Rafah on May 6. Since then, tanks and troops have steadily advanced into the city’s eastern and central areas, while moving north along the 13km border with Egypt. On Tuesday, witnesses reported that tanks had reached the city center for the first time, seizing control of al-Awda roundabout amid heavy artillery fire. The roundabout is a crucial location, housing major banks, government institutions, businesses, and shops.
A witness described seeing soldiers positioned atop a building overlooking the roundabout, shooting at anyone moving below. Video footage posted online showed tank tracks on a road west of the roundabout, near the damaged Indonesian field hospital.
Earlier reports indicated that tanks seized Zoroub Hill, northwest of the roundabout, after clashes with Hamas fighters. Controlling the highest point along the Egyptian border effectively gives Israel dominance over the entire Gazan side of the border, including the Philadelphi Corridor.
Residents in western Rafah have faced the heaviest air and artillery strikes since the operation began, forcing hundreds of families to seek shelter in hospital courtyards. Ambulances have struggled to reach casualties. Thousands of people were seen fleeing north at dawn, packed into cars, lorries, and carts pulled by animals. “The explosions are rattling our tent. My children are frightened, and my sick father makes it impossible for us to escape,” Khaled Mahmoud, a resident, told EMC.
The IDF did not comment directly on these reports but issued a statement confirming overnight operations in the Philadelphi Corridor based on intelligence about terror targets. The IDF emphasized efforts to prevent harm to civilians, stating troops are engaging in close-quarters combat with terrorists and locating terror tunnel shafts and weapons.
Civilians in eastern Rafah have been advised to evacuate to a “humanitarian area” from al-Mawasi to Deir al-Balah. Local health officials reported that at least 21 people were killed by tank shells hitting a tent cluster in al-Mawasi, although the IDF denied striking in that area.
On Sunday night, an Israeli airstrike killed at least 45 people, including many children, women, and the elderly, in a camp near a UN logistics base in Tal al-Sultan. The IDF claimed it was targeting senior Hamas officials but admitted to a “tragic incident” and promised an investigation.
IDF chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the strike targeted a Hamas commanders’ structure away from any tents, and the subsequent large fire might have been caused by nearby weapons or ammunition. UN official Sam Rose emphasized that the killing of civilians could not be dismissed as accidental, criticizing the military campaign’s impact on Gaza’s densely populated areas.
The International Court of Justice recently ordered Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah to prevent conditions that could lead to the destruction of the Palestinian group in Gaza. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in response to a Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 252 hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports over 36,000 fatalities since the conflict began.
