Israel intensifies air strikes on Rafah before expected ground operation

Israel stepped up air strikes on Rafah overnight after saying it would evacuate civilians from the southern Gazan city and launch an all-out assault despite allies' warnings this could cause mass casualties.

Medics in the besieged Palestinian enclave reported five Israeli air strikes on Rafah early on April 25 that hit at least three houses, killing at least six people, including a local journalist.

"We are afraid of what will happen in Rafah. The level of alert is very high," Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Ibrahim Khraishi said. "Some are leaving.

They are afraid for their families, but where can they go? They are not being allowed to go to the north and so are confined to a very small area." The Gaza Strip is about 40km long, and between about 5km and 12km wide, and is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

In the seventh month of a devastating air and ground war, Israeli forces also resumed bombarding northern and central areas of the enclave, as well as east of Khan Younis in the south. Israel's stated goal is to destroy Hamas, though it is unclear how it would do so.

A UN team visiting a site for a staging area and pier for maritime aid operations was forced to take cover in a bunker on April 24 after the area came under attack.

They were there for "some time", but there were no injuries.