Tanks reach Rafah's centre as Israel presses assault

Since that strike, at least 26 more people have been killed by Israeli fire in Rafah, officials in the enclave run by Hamas militants said

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Picture: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi

Israeli tanks reached the centre of Rafah for the first time on Tuesday, witnesses said, three weeks into a ground operation in the southern Gaza city that has sparked global condemnation.

The tanks were spotted near Al-Awda mosque, a central Rafah landmark, the witnesses told Reuters. The Israeli military said its forces continued to operate in the Rafah area without commenting on reported advancements into the city centre.