Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), reported that 800,000 Palestinians have left the city since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in Rafah.
"Nearly half of those in the city were forced to flee, mostly to Khan Younis, where many buildings are destroyed. Every time, they are forced to leave behind the few belongings they have and start from scratch, all over again," Philippe Lazzarini said on X.
Since May 6, Israel's army has been conducting a limited operation in the eastern part of Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that victory over the Hamas terrorist group is impossible without capturing the city and eliminating the militants present there.
However, allies of the Jewish state, primarily the United States, oppose actions in Rafah. President Joe Biden has threatened to limit arms supplies to Israel if a large-scale operation is carried out.
