Israel has ordered 100,000 Palestinians living in eastern Rafah to evacuate ahead of an Israeli offensive on the southern Gaza city, where more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. The U.N. aid agency UNRWA warned Israel’s attack on Rafah would have devastating consequences and lead to more civilian suffering and deaths. Overnight Israeli bombardments killed at least 26 people in Rafah, including 11 children.

Nisreen Rajeh: “We fled death and destruction, and we came to Rafah only to find destruction here. Do they want to kill us here? We came seeking safety in Rafah. Where do they want to send us? Where are we to go? The situation is so difficult. We’re unable to describe the destruction that we are living in here. Someone, feel for us and the tragedy we are living through.”

The order to evacuate Rafah came a day after Hamas fighters fired rockets at the Karem Abu Salem crossing, killing four Israeli soldiers. This all comes as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled.
On the humanitarian front, Cindy McCain, the head of the World Food Programme, told NBC that northern Gaza is in “full-blown famine.”

Cindy McCain: “What I can explain to you is, is that there is famine, full-blown famine, in the north, and it’s moving its way south.”

We will speak to a doctor who just left Gaza later in the program.