Eyewitnesses: Israel's army bombs targets in Rafah. Over a million Palestinians are crowding the far south of the Gaza Strip.
If the city is stormed, there is a risk of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel's military initially did not comment specifically. When asked, the army only stated that it adheres to international law in its operations and takes precautions to keep the damage to the civilian population to a minimum. Saudi Arabia strongly warned Israel against military action. Riyadh called an emergency meeting to “prevent Israel from causing an impending humanitarian catastrophe”