4 days Ago By Evening Standard
The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of most of Gaza 's southern city of Rafah. The orders issued Monday come after Israel ended a ceasefire and renewed its air and ground war against Hamas earlier this month. Israel launched a major operation in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, last May, leaving large parts of it in ruins.
Israeli forces seized a strategic buffer zone along the border and did not withdraw from it as called for in the ceasefire agreement. Israel said it needed to maintain a presence there to prevent weapons smuggling. In another development, the United Nations has released footage from the operation to recover 15 first responders killed by Israeli forces in Rafah earlier this month.
The footage released Sunday showed members of the Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas -run government, exhuming a body from a mound of sand. The body was wearing the same orange vest as the rescuers. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called it the deadliest attack on its workers since 2017.
Israel said its forces opened fire on several vehicles that raised suspicions by advancing without headlights or emergency signals. The military said a Hamas operative and eight other militants were among those killed. The United Nations humanitarian office said eight Red Crescent workers, six members of the Civil Defense and a UN worker were killed.
The shooting occurred when Israeli forces launched a surprise ground incursion into the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah on March 23..
