CAIRO: Israeli tanks on Friday seized the key road dividing the eastern and western parts of Rafah, encircling the entire part of the eastern side of the bordering city in the Gaza Strip.
According to the residents of the city, constant explosions and gunfire were heard in the east and northeast of the city on Friday, with intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas.
Hamas said it pounded Israeli tanks near a mosque in the east of the city, which indicated that Israelis had penetrated several kilometres into the city.
Israel has ordered civilians to vacate the eastern half of Rafah, forcing tens of thousands of people to take shelter outside the city, the last refuge of more than a million who fled other parts of the besieged enclave during the war.
Israel says it cannot win the war in Gaza without attacking Rafah to eliminate thousands of Hamas fighters it believes are sheltering there. Hamas says it will fight till the end to defend itself.
Aid agencies warn the fighting puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of already displaced civilians in danger.
Abu Hassan, 50, a resident of Tel al-Sultan west of Rafah told the media that the city is not safe at all. Hassan added that he is trying to leave but cannot afford 2,000 shekels to buy a tent for his family.
He said the Israeli army is targeting all of Rafah.
According to the Israeli military, its forces had located several tunnel shafts in eastern Rafah. It also claimed to fight at close quarters with groups of Hamas fighters, killing several.
It said Israeli fighter jets had struck several sites from which rockets and mortars had been fired toward Israel in recent days.
