The Israeli forces invaded the city of Rafah in southern Gaza today, Sunday, and clashed with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in parts of the northern sector that the army claimed to have cleared months ago, but activists have reorganized themselves there.

Warnings about the escalating attack on Rafah, which is considered the last refuge in Gaza for over a million civilians, as well as the last stronghold for Hamas, continued. About 300,000 people fled Rafah after evacuation orders from Israel, which claims it must invade to dismantle Hamas and retrieve dozens of hostages held during the October 7 attack on Israel that ignited the war.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his opposition to a major military attack on Rafah, telling CBS that Israel "would leave the ongoing rebellion bag" without exiting Gaza and having a post-war governance plan.

The expansion of the Rafah operation has raised warnings from neighboring Egypt, whose foreign ministry stated its intention to officially join South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, which Israel rejects. The statement noted the "escalation in the intensity and scope of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated in a statement, "A large-scale attack on Rafah cannot be carried out," adding that he cannot see how this can be reconciled with international humanitarian law.

Gaza has been left without an effective government, leading to the collapse of public order and allowing Hamas's armed wing to reconstitute itself even in the most affected areas. Israel has yet to provide a detailed post-war governance plan for Gaza, stating only that it will maintain an open security control over the coastal territory home to about 2.3 million Palestinians.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged in a speech marking the anniversary of the war dead to continue fighting until victory.

Netanyahu rejected U.S. post-war plans proposing that the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, govern Gaza with support from Arab and Islamic countries. These plans rely on progress toward establishing a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu's government opposes.

The attack that occurred on October 7 resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of 250 others as hostages. Militants are still holding around 100 captives and the remains of more than 30. Internationally mediated talks on a ceasefire and the release of hostages seem to have reached a deadlock.

The Israeli air, ground, and naval attacks have resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its numbers. Israel claims to have killed more than 13,000 militants without providing evidence.

Intense bombardment in the north

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli shelling overnight in the Jabalia refugee camp and other areas in northern Gaza, which has seen extensive destruction and has been largely isolated by Israeli forces for months. UN officials say there is a "comprehensive famine" there.

Residents said that Israeli warplanes and artillery bombed the camp and the Zaitoun area east of Gaza City, where forces have clashed with militants for over a week. They have called for tens of thousands of people to move to adjacent areas.

Abdul Karim Ridwan, 48, from Jabalia, said, "It was an extremely difficult night." He added that they heard intensive and continuous shelling since Saturday afternoon, "This is madness."

Palestinian civil defense first responders said they were unable to respond to the multiple calls for help coming from the two areas, as well as from Rafah.

Israeli army spokesperson Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that forces are also operating in Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun. The two towns near Gaza's northern border with Israel have been heavily bombarded in the early days of the war.

Writer Ben Caspit wrote in the Israeli daily Maariv: "You cannot overthrow Hamas's regime without preparing an alternative to that regime," expressing the increasing frustration felt by many Israelis after more than seven months into the war. "The only people who can govern Gaza after the war are the residents of Gaza, with a lot of support and assistance from outside."

Civilian flight in the south

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, the main aid provider in Gaza, reported that 300,000 people have fled Rafah since the operation began there. Most of them are heading toward the nearby city of Khan Younis or the heavily damaged Mawasi area, a camp located on the coast where around 450,000 people already live in miserable conditions.

Rafah was home to about 1.3 million Palestinians before the start of the Israeli operation, most of whom fled from fighting in other places.

Israel has now evacuated the eastern third of Rafah, and Hagari stated that dozens of militants have been killed there as "targeted operations" continue. The UN warned that the planned large-scale invasion of Rafah would further disrupt humanitarian operations and result in increased civilian casualties.

The Rafah crossing is on the border with Egypt near key aid entry points that have already been affected. Israeli forces have taken control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, forcing it to close. Cairo News reported that Egypt refused to coordinate with Israel regarding the delivery of aid through the crossing due to "unacceptable Israeli escalation."

A senior Egyptian official told the Associated Press that Cairo has lodged protests with Israel, the United States, and European governments, stating that the attack poses a significant threat to the decades-long peace treaty with Israel – a cornerstone of regional stability. The official was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that he would not provide offensive weapons to Israel in Rafah. His administration said on Friday that there is "reasonable" evidence that Israel has violated international law protecting civilians – the strongest statement from Washington on this issue so far.

Israel rejects these accusations, stating that it is trying to avoid harming civilians. It blames Hamas for the rising death toll because militants are fighting in densely populated areas. However, the army rarely comments on individual strikes that often kill women and children.