Israeli tanks have pushed deeper into eastern Rafah, reaching some residential districts, stepping up an offensive in the southern border city where more than a million people had been sheltering after being displaced in seven months of war.
Israel's international allies and aid groups have repeatedly urged against a ground incursion into refugee-packed Rafah, warning of a potential humanitarian catastrophe.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said Israel's operations in Rafah have set back efforts at trying to reach a ceasefire in talks that are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt, although it would continue to negotiate.
Israel has vowed to press on into Rafah even without the support of allies, saying its operation is necessary to root out four remaining Hamas battalions holed up in the city.
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The White House has informed Congress it wants to send more than $1bn (£800m) in weapons to Israel, officials say.
ReplyDeleteThe package would include tank rounds, mortars and armoured tactical vehicles, according to Reuters news agency.
The plan - confirmed by a congressional aide to CBS, the BBC's US partner - must still be approved by lawmakers.
Last week President Joe Biden said he would halt weapons shipments to Israel if it launched a major invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah.
The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it would send more than $1 billion in additional arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday. But it was not immediately known how soon the weapons would be delivered.
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