[MAP] : Israeli tanks encircle eastern half of Rafah
Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing the eastern and western halves of Rafah on Friday, effectively encircling the entire eastern side of the city in the southern Gaza Strip.
Residents described almost constant explosions and gunfire east and northeast of the city on Friday, with intense fighting between Israeli forces and militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Hamas said it ambushed Israeli tanks near a mosque in the east of the city, a sign the Israelis had penetrated several kilometers from the east to the outskirts of the built-up area.
???????? ❌️ ???????? Rafah Minor map fix:
????️ "The IDF probably took control of Salah Al Deen Street and 2 roads branching from it. I saw changes here, but I wasn't sure if they were caused by the IDF, so I didn't originally mark them for safety ".
????️ "After consulting with people who… pic.twitter.com/p6NTVt0JAk
— Eureka News (@EurekaNews10) May 10, 2024
Israel has ordered civilians out of the eastern half of Rafah, forcing tens of thousands of people to seek shelter outside the city, previously the last refuge of more than a million who fled other parts of the enclave during the war.
New Gaza maps from @War_Mapper. Highlights include the IDF's initial push into Rafah as well as their capture of the Rafah crossing with Egypt and the former Yasser Arafat International Airport, which has been inoperable since 2002. pic.twitter.com/yJ64knDsYB
— Eretz Yisrael 24 (@EretzYisrael24) May 10, 2024
Israel says it cannot win the war without assaulting Rafah to root out thousands of Hamas fighters it believes are sheltering there. Hamas says it will fight to defend it. Aid agencies say the battle puts hundreds of thousands of already displaced civilians in harm’s way