At least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip, a Gaza hospital said in a statement. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza City.
The United Nations has warned that a direct attack on the densely populated town of Rafah risks catastrophe. Israeli troops entered East Rafah last week, ignoring international objections, the agency said. After this incident, the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza was stopped.
Israeli forces are engaged in ground operations in southern Rafah without responding to the calls of the West including the United States. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been ordered to leave East Rafah. Leaflets are being distributed. They were told to move to an area called Al Mawasi.
However, nowhere in Gaza is safe from Israeli attacks, millions of residents of Rafah live in fear. With food and water in short supply as aid is blocked, what the future holds is unknown.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said, if Hamas releases all the hostages today, then a ceasefire in Gaza is possible tomorrow. He said this at an election fundraising event in Seattle, Washington on Friday (May 10) local time.
The news agency AFP reported this information.
The US President said, we have spoken with Israeli officials. They said the cease-fire in Gaza now depends entirely on Hamas. If Hamas releases the hostages (today), the Israeli operation in Gaza will be stopped from today and a formal cease-fire will be declared from tomorrow.'