Israeli army: Fighting continues in eastern Rafah

The Israeli army is continuing its operation in the eastern part of Rafah, the military said on Saturday.

Israeli troops were continuing to target Hamas fighters at specific locations in the east of the city in the southern Gaza Strip and had killed several militants over the past 24 hours, it said.

Israeli soldiers are also still active on the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, according to the statement.

It was not possible to independently verify the claims.

The Israeli army seems set to expand its operation against positions and combat units of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas in Rafah, although calls are growing louder to desist, including from the United Nations and the United States, Israel's main backer.

More than 1 million Palestinians are seeking refuge in Rafah, half of them children. However, more than 150,000 people have now fled from the city, fearing an Israeli advance into Rafah.

The Israeli army occupied the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing at the beginning of the week. On Saturday, it called on Palestinians to leave large parts of Rafah for the Mediterranean coast, in a call that suggests it plans to expand its military operation to the densely populated city centre.