Israeli Strikes in Rafah Kill 5 Police Officers, Palestinian Sources Report

Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, resulted in the deaths of at least five police officers on Saturday, amid escalating tensions and the prospect of an Israeli ground invasion.

Simultaneously, Israel announced that it had eliminated three Hamas members in Rafah, including two high-ranking military figures, on the same day.

A separate airstrike targeted a residential area in Rafah, leading to the tragic loss of at least 12 civilians, as confirmed by the Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar hospital in Gaza. There are concerns that more victims may be trapped under the debris.

The connection between the Israeli military’s claims and the casualties reported by Palestinian authorities remains unclear.

In the backdrop of these incidents, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the evacuation of over a million residents from Rafah, a city already burdened with displacement due to ongoing military actions. Netanyahu has expressed his intent to the war cabinet to have the ground offensive in Rafah concluded before the onset of Ramadan on March 10, as per an Israeli official’s statement to CNN.

This directive places immense pressure on the inhabitants of Rafah, who face the dire reality of having no alternative refuge amidst the ongoing conflict.