Israel's military issued new evacuation orders in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, forcing even more Palestinians to relocate on Saturday ahead of a likely expanded ground operation there.
The Biden administration has put a hold on an arms shipment to Israel. A senior administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity told NPR it was due to concerns the bombs could be used in Rafah.
Rafah is the site of Israel's latest campaign in its war against Hamas. It's also home to some 1.3 million Palestinians. More than half of those people have fled fighting in other parts of Gaza.
On Monday night, Israeli tanks rolled into Rafah taking control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing with Egypt.
The seizure of the border crossing cuts a key supply line for humanitarian aid.
Israel says its incursion in Rafah is a "precise counterterrorism operation." But possible further military action along with the closed border crossing could exacerbate a humanitarian catastrophe.
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Israeli tanks rolled into Rafah Tuesday, taking control of the territory's border crossing with Egypt, even as Israel sent a delegation to Cairo for Hamas truce talks.
