Israel: Gaza war likely to last another seven months as tanks probe Rafah

Israel sent tanks on raids into Rafah on Wednesday and predicted its war on Hamas in Gaza would continue all year after Washington said the Rafah assault did not amount to a major ground operation that would trigger a change in US policy.

The World Court said Israel had not explained how it would keep evacuees from Rafah safe and provide food, water, and medicine. Its ruling also called on Hamas to release hostages taken from Israel on October 7 immediately and unconditionally.

Rafah residents said Israeli tanks had pushed into Tel Al-Sultan in the west and Yibna and near Shaboura in the center before retreating towards a buffer zone on the border with Egypt, rather than staying put as they have in other offensives.

"We received distress calls from residents in Tel Al-Sultan where drones targeted displaced citizens as they moved from areas where they were staying toward the safe areas," the deputy director of ambulance and emergency services in Rafah, Haitham al Hams, said.

Reuters