Good morning. Israel has threatened to expand its military operation in Rafah after it seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing – which was the key remaining land route to get desperately needed aid into Gaza, where millions of people are suffering an escalating humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli military said it had taken “operational control” of the border with Egypt in a “precise and limited operation”, but gave notice that it will soon be followed by an “extreme force” ground offensive that the UN warns could lead to the “slaughter of civilians”. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has begun dropping flyers on relief camps in Rafah, ordering Palestinians – many of whom have already fled the conflict, sometimes several times – to immediately evacuate.
