Israel-Hamas war: Israeli tanks spotted in centre of Rafah for first time after UN chief's 'hell on earth' comments
Israel has been widely criticised after carrying out an airstrike on a tent encampment in Rafah in southern Gaza - which came before Israeli tanks were spotted in the centre of the city for the first time.
Tuesday 28 May 2024 12:41, UK
Israeli tanks have been spotted in the centre of Rafah for the first time - hours after the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said the city had become "hell on earth" following a deadly strike there.
The tanks have been spotted by eyewitnesses as Israel is three weeks into a ground operation in the southern Gaza city that has sparked global condemnation.
Witnesses told Reuters they saw the tanks near Al-Awda mosque, a central Rafah landmark.
The Israeli military has said its forces continue to operate in Rafah without commenting on reported advancements into the city centre.
Since Israel launched its incursion by taking control of the border crossing with Egypt three weeks ago, tanks had probed around the edges of Rafah and entered some of its eastern districts but had not yet entered the city in full force.
Rafah still reeling from strike
According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry, at least 45 people were killed in a tent camp after the Israeli airstrike on Sunday, described by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "tragic mistake".
The strike led to an international outcry as the Gaza health ministry said more than half of those who died were children, women and the elderly.
Many of the 45 people who were killed died as a result of a blaze that was ignited in the camp as a result of the strike.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said some of the agency's staff are "unaccounted for" and "many" civilians have been injured.
"Children and women living in tented plastic makeshift shelters are among the killed," he said, adding others were "reportedly burnt to death".
"The images from last night are testament to how Rafah has turned into hell on Earth."
Survivors said families were about to sleep when the strike hit the Tel al Sultan neighbourhood, where thousands were sheltering after Israel began a ground offensive in the east of Rafah.
"We were praying... getting our children's beds ready to sleep. There was nothing unusual, then we heard a very loud noise… fire erupted around us," said Palestinian mother Umm Mohamed Al-Attar.
"All the children started screaming... the sound was terrifying, we felt like the metal was about to collapse on us, and shrapnel fell into the rooms."
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French President Emmanuel Macron said he was "outraged" by the airstrike while the Italian government said the fighting cannot go on.
Meanwhile, the European Union has started to discuss sanctions against Israel.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron renewed calls for a pause in fighting on Tuesday, saying the scenes from the southern city were "deeply distressing".
"The IDF's (Israel Defence Forces) investigation must be swift, comprehensive and transparent.
"We urgently need a deal to get hostages out and aid in, with a pause in fighting to allow work towards a long-term sustainable ceasefire."
Since Sunday's strike, at least 26 more people have been killed by Israeli fire in Rafah, officials in the enclave run by Hamas militants said.
Israeli tanks pushed towards western neighbourhoods and took positions on the Zurub hilltop in western Rafah in one of the worst nights of bombardment reported by residents. On Tuesday, witnesses reported gunbattles between Israeli troops and Hamas-led fighters in the Zurub area.
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Israel has kept up its offensive despite a ruling by the top UN court on Friday ordering it to stop, claiming the ruling grants some scope for military action there.
In a speech in parliament, Mr Netanyahu said the strike was not meant to cause civilian casualties.
The Israel Defence Forces had earlier said the strike was against "legitimate targets" with "precise munitions" and on the basis of "precise intelligence" - adding the incident was "under review".
Israel says it wants to root out Hamas fighters holed up in Rafah and rescue hostages it says are being held in the area.