Israeli forces seize Gaza side of Rafah border crossingAP, CAIROIsraeli tanks yesterday seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge. Displaced Palestinians flee Rafah with their belongings in the Gaza Strip yesterday following an evacuation order by the Israeli army. The Israeli 401st Brigade entered the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing early yesterday, the Israeli military said, taking “operational control” of it. The Rafah crossing with Egypt and the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel are critical points of entry for food, medicine and other supplies keeping Gaza’s population of 2.3 million alive. Israeli authorities denied the UN humanitarian affairs office access to the Rafah crossing yesterday, its spokesman Jens Laerke said, warning that the disruption could break the fragile aid operation.
