Editorial: More than a million civilians are crowded into makeshift camps in and around the city in southern Gaza. In the absence of a ceasefire, human disaster on a massive scale looks impossible to avoid

The Israeli military says they have “struck over 100 targets” across the Gaza Strip as they continue their offensive operation in the southern city of Rafah.

In their latest update, the Israeli military wrote: “The [Israeli military] is conducting a precise counterterrorism operation in specific areas of eastern Rafah. Terrorists were eliminated and underground shafts and infrastructure were located in different areas

“During several encounters over the past day, troops eliminated terrorists and uncovered terrorist infrastructure, as well as underground shafts in several locations in the eastern Rafah area. The troops have started the process of dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and underground shafts.

“In one incident, troops identified and eliminated a terrorist armed with an RPG.

“Simultaneously, based on intelligence about terrorists operating in the area, troops are conducting targeted raids on the Gazan side of the Rafah Crossing in the eastern part of Rafah.

“Throughout the past day, fighter jets and aircraft struck over 100 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including military structures, observation posts, launch posts and additional military infrastructure.”

Russia has said that it saw no prospect so far for a peace settlement in Gaza or the wider Middle East, and said Israel‘s operation in Rafah was escalating the conflict.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the conflict had caused a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

The Israeli military has appeared to play down an arms shipment hold-up by a US administration troubled at this week’s operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, saying the allies resolve any disagreements “behind closed doors”.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper as the Gaza war entered its eighth month, chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari described coordination between Israel and the United States as reaching “a scope without precedent, I think, in history”.

Despite pleas from its closest allies to hold off, Israel moved its tanks into east Rafah and captured the border crossing overnight on Tuesday, in what it called a “limited” operation meant to kill fighters and dismantle infrastructure used by Hamas militant.

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Nadav Shoshani gave an update in a recorded video message on Tuesday evening (7 May).

He claimed: “In the first hours of the operation, IDF troops eliminated 20 terrorists in the area, as well as an explosive vehicle threatening our troops and located several terror tunnel shafts.”

Good morning.

As Israel prepares for its ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, below are some of the latest pictures from overnight Israeli airstrikes in the area.

Qatar’s Ministry of foreign affairs said on Wednesday that it strongly condemns Israel’s Rafah incursion and called for international intervention to prevent the city from being invaded.

The Gulf state has frequently acted as a mediator in negotiating ceasefire deals between Hamas and Israel.

The director of the US Central Intelligence Agency is due to meet with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu today.

Bill Burns is also due to hold talks with other top officials, in the wake of the news that the US has paused a shipment of bombs over concerns of a full-scale assault on Rafah.

On Monday, the IDF told civillians in Gaza to move to a “humanitarian zone” north-west of the city to avoid being harmed in an imminent attack.

About 1.4 million Palestinians — more than half of Gaza‘s population — are packed into the city and its surroundings, living in densely packed tent camps, shelters or overcrowded apartments after fleeing to Rafah in hope of escaping Israel‘s attacks.

On Monday, people received flyers in Arabic ordering people to move to nearby Israel-declared humanitarian zone called Muwasi. The flyers detailed which neighborhood blocks needed to leave and where humanitarian zones had expanded to.

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Israel was reopening Kerem Shalom crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a statement from the Israeli agency in charge of it said,

It added that aid trucks routed through from Egypt were already undergoing security inspections there.

Israel had closed Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday after a Palestinian shelling attack nearby killed four soldiers.