Israel’s military has tightened its chokehold on Gaza, encircling Rafah and severing it from the rest of the Strip, while threatening to unleash an expanded assault across the territory.
This escalation, announced by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire and has plunged Gaza’s 2.1 million Palestinians into deeper despair, with vital lifelines blocked and humanitarian conditions spiraling into catastrophe.
The Israeli army has seized control of what it calls a “security zone” encompassing Rafah and the so-called 'Morag axis', isolating the southern city from Khan Younis and the rest of Gaza.
This strategic stranglehold has severed access to the Rafah crossing with Egypt and the Kerem Shalom crossing, a critical artery for humanitarian aid.
“One-quarter of a million Palestinians who called Rafah home can no longer have access to it,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reported from Amman, where the network operates after being banned from Israel and the occupied West Bank.
Israel’s actions have confined Gaza’s population to roughly one-third of the Strip, with the UN estimating that 66% of the territory is now off-limits to Palestinians.
Katz has openly declared that the goal is to pressure civilians to topple Hamas and secure the release of Israeli captives, stating, “This is the last moment to remove Hamas and release the hostages.”
The blockade and relentless bombardment have pushed Gaza to the edge of survival.
“Food and clean water are in short supply in the Gaza Strip due to the blockade and the denial of aid for nearly six weeks,” warned UNRWA, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian intervention.
A UN official described the situation as “absolutely catastrophic,” citing Israel’s deliberate targeting of water infrastructure and obstruction of repairs.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports at least 50,912 Palestinians killed and 115,981 wounded since Israel’s Genocide began. The Government Media Office estimates over 61,700 dead, with thousands buried under rubble.
Since dawn, Israeli strikes have killed at least 11 Palestinians, including in al-Mawasi, cynically labeled a “safe zone.” according to Al Jazeera.
As Israel threatens to expand its offensive to areas like Beit Hanoun and the Netzarim Corridor, the plight of Gaza’s civilians grows ever more desperate.
With crossings sealed and aid blocked, the world watches as Gaza’s people face starvation, bombardment, and displacement, their cries for justice drowned out by the roar of war.