Panic and despair spread across Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah after a night of intense bombardment where more than 1 million P people at least half of the territory's population - fled seeking shelter but now fear an Israeli ground assault.
"Last night was the heaviest night that we witnessed since we fled to Rafah. It reminded us of what we endured in the northern parts of Gaza, in Gaza City and again in Khan Younis," said Yousef Hammash of the Norwegian Refugee Council, sheltering in Rafah with his family.
He described how he feared even looking out of the window during a night of fierce attacks across Rafah that killed at least 67 people according to health authorities and as many as 100 people according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The strikes - launched by Israel while rescuing two hostages held by Hamas - were so intense, he said, that he believed that an Israeli ground operation had already begun.
At least half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million is crammed into Rafah, a city that previously housed a fraction of that amount. Some have found dwindling space in houses, hospitals or other buildings, while others huddle in makeshift shelters and tents and thousands sleep on the streets.
"People were forced to flee from other parts of Gaza, and they came here to have a sense of safety, which we lost since the Israeli media and [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu started talking about expanding the Israeli military operation in Rafah," Hammash said.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 16, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 16, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian Weekly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
FROM DOCTOR TO BRUTAL DICTATOR THE RISE AND FALL OF ASSAD
0N THE FACE OF IT AT LEAST, the Bashar al-Assad of 2002 presented a starkly different figure from the brutal autocrat he would become, presiding over a fragile state founded on torture, imprisonment and industrial murder.
What fresh alternatives can be used to placate coriander haters?
Everyone knows a hater of coriander - also known as cilantro - who won't go near the stuff. Itamar Srulovich, however, is not one: \"I adore fresh coriander, and always have,\" says the chef/co-owner of the Honey & Co group in London.
Farage is lying in wait.Britain cannot afford to see Starmer fail Jonathan Freedland
This government must not fail. Let's get that clear from the start. If Keir Starmer does not succeed, too many British voters will conclude that both the traditional parties, Labour and Conservative, have proved useless and that it is time to try something else with that something else being nationalist populism.
Compromise may be Macron's only hope of restoring confidence Paul Taylor
Having failed to solve France's political crisis with a prime minister dependent on the far right, President Emmanuel Macron is exploring a deal with the Socialist party (PS) to give the country a new government, pass an overdue budget and avert financial turmoil.
It's a sad story for us all that fewer children are reading for pleasure Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
On the shelf in my son's bedroom is a row of picture books that once belonged to me.
'Gun control is dead, and we killed it'
Blueprints for 3D-printed weapons are increasingly being used by far-right extremists to evade gun control laws. So what can be done?
Help support the victims of conflict in a volatile world
When we came to choose the theme of our 2024 charity appeal, we quickly realised it would be impossible to ignore that this has been an especially harrowing year of conflict, war and human suffering.
Ring master The Trump circus is already back in town
The grand reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris last Saturday was attended by around 50 heads of state and government.
Object lessons Behind the scenes of a museum's grand reserves
A tour of the newarchive collection of London's Science Museum andits associates reveals a cornucopia of wonders and treasures
Double takes The rise of the celebrity lookalike competition
When Miles Mitchell's friends saw fliers scattered across New York City last month advertising a Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition, they urged the 21-yearold college senior from Staten Island to enter.
