Ongoing strikes on Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip

After Gaza City, then Khan Younes, Israel is now targeting a ground operation in Rafah, a town bordering Egypt in the far south of the Gaza Strip. As early as Saturday 10 February, witnesses reported AFP strikes in areas surrounding the city, which is now home to about 1.3 million Palestinians, most of whom have sought refuge there to escape Israeli army operations further north. Follow our live stream.

The fights are on. Hamas’ health minister counted 110 dead in the evening and night from Friday to Saturday, including 25 in the attack in Rafah, and reported. “intense strife” Saturday at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunus. On Friday, Israeli forces attacked al-Amal, another major hospital in the city.

Moody’s has downgraded Israel’s rating. Ratings agency Moody’s on Friday downgraded Israel’s debt rating by a notch to A2 and gave it a negative outlook, meaning it could downgrade it again within months. the future “Major factor” This is a reduction assessment “That the ongoing military conflict with Hamas, its aftermath and its wider consequences materially increase the political risk to Israel and weaken its executive and legislative institutions as well as its financial strength”, The press release clarifies.

Negotiations are over. New talks between Qatari and Egyptian mediators and Hamas, launched on Thursday in Cairo to try to reach a ceasefire agreement, ended on Friday. “Hamas delegation leaves Cairo”.A Hamas official said, without elaborating. “Wait for response from Israel”. According to the website Axios, the head of the CIA is to travel to Egypt next week to try to secure a new ceasefire in the fighting in Gaza and the release of the hostages.

Benjamin Netanyahu asked the military for an “evacuation plan” for civilians from Rafah. After ordering the army to prepare for an offensive on Rafah on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for it to submit on Friday. “joint plan” No“Empty” Citizens of Rafah and “destruction” Hamas in this city. “Forcing the more than a million Palestinians displaced in Rafah to resettle without finding a safe haven would be illegal and have catastrophic consequences.” Nadia Hardman, migration and refugee rights expert for Human Rights Watch, announced overnight.

Biden considers Israel’s response to Gaza “overwhelming.” US President Joe Biden said in rare criticism of Israel since war broke out between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas four months ago. “excessive” there “Response in the Gaza Strip” For the October 7 attack. America, Israel’s main ally, has expressed fear for civilians in Rafah. “It would be a disaster to carry out such an operation now without planning and thought in an area of ​​a million people.” The US State Department warned this week.