Heavy clashes and
bombardment rocked the southern Gaza city of Rafah Saturday, as the United
Nations said 800,000 people had been “forced to flee” Israel’s assault on
Hamas militants there.

Israel’s military said air strikes hit more than 70 targets across Gaza while
ground troops conducted “targeted raids” in eastern Rafah, killing 50
militants and locating dozens of tunnel shafts.

Philippe Lazzarini of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said that since
Israel’s Rafah operation began, there had been a massive movement of people.

“800,000 people are on the road having been forced to flee since the Israeli
forces started the military operation in the area on 6 May”, the UNRWA chief
said on X.

He said people were fleeing to areas without water supplies or adequate
sanitation.

It came as political divisions in Israel’s war cabinet burst into the open on
Saturday night, with minister Benny Gantz saying he would quit unless Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip.

Gantz called for six goals to be met, including establishing a multinational
civilian administration for Gaza.

Netanyahu hit back, calling the threat “washed-up words” that would mean
“defeat for Israel”.বিস্তারিত