Inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are witnessing intense Israeli attacks on the city of Rafah from the air, from the sea, and on land.
There was very intense fire from fighter jets, Apaches, and quadcopters, as well as Israeli artillery and naval warships, all of which hit the area west of Rafah, says an inhabitant to AFP.
Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, claims that its soldiers are fighting against Israeli ground troops in the area.
Many families have been forced to leave their homes or tents in the Rafah area in the dark, reports news agency Reuters, citing eyewitness accounts that describe the night as one of the worst so far.
According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli forces have targeted the al-Mawasi area near Rafah, which Israel has designated as a humanitarian zone.
Israel's military denies allegations that attacks have been launched against the humanitarian zone.
Around a million people – many of whom were already displaced from other parts of Gaza – have been forced to leave Rafah in recent weeks due to Israel's escalated offensive.
The Israeli military (IDF) writes on the messaging service Telegram that it has struck "45 terrorist targets across Gaza".
