TRANSCRIPT
Defying an appeal from the United Nations' International Court of Justice - Israeli tanks advance into the heart of Rafah after a night of heavy bombardment.
Health authorities in Gaza say Israeli tank shelling has killed at least 21 people there, in an area Israel has designated a civilian evacuation zone.
Ahmaed Nassar - one of many Palestinians who had sought refuge in Rafah- says a number of his relatives have been killed.
"The strike happened there, and we ran towards it to see what happened, and the second strike happened here next to us. We came and found about six to seven bodies, my four cousins and some of their husbands and children. You are talking here about a toll of no less than 18 people. People are settled here and are safe. They have nothing to do with anything. These are displaced people my relatives, all of them are my cousins."
The latest military action comes just days after an operation targeting Hamas militants sparked a deadly fire in a tent camp in Rafah.
Palestinian health officials say at least 45 people were killed in Sunday’s strike.
It led to widespread outrage, including from some of Israel’s closest allies.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari says the operation was aimed at killing Hamas militants.
“Their deaths saved lives. Sadly, following the strike, due to an unforeseen circumstance, a fire ignited, tragically taking the lives of Gazan civilians nearby. Despite our efforts to minimise civilian casualties during the strike, the fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended. This is a devastating incident, which we did not expect. We're investigating what caused the fire that resulted in this tragic loss of life."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reiterated the federal government's call for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid to flow into Gaza.
Israel has disregarded a ruling from the United Nations' International Court of Justice calling for an immediate end to their operation in Rafah.
Senator Wong says Israel should obey orders by the International Court of Justice.
"The death and destruction in Rafah is horrific, this human suffering is unacceptable and we reiterate to the government of Israel, this cannot continue. We must see an immediate humanitarian ceasefire so that civilians can be protected and Australia continues to support the work of the United States, Qatar and Egypt in trying to achieve this. We continue to call for the release of all hostages by Hamas and Israel must allow aid to flow at scale, as directed by the International Court of Justice."
The United States too, Israel's closest ally, reiterated its opposition to a major Israeli ground offensive in Rafah but says it did not believe such an operation is underway.
The United States government says it has not seen anything in Israel's military attacks in Rafah since Sunday that would prompt a withdrawal of its military assistance.
National Security spokesman John Kirby says the US is watching very closely and urging people critical of Israel to remember why the war started in the first place.
"Maybe some people have forgotten what happened on the 7th of October, but we haven't. 1,200 Israelis, innocent Israelis, slaughtered, mutilated, raped, tortured. And they're living right next to that kind of threat, still a viable threat in Rafah, by the way. If you think Hamas is just gone, they're not gone from Rafah or from Gaza. And if you think they've abandoned their genocidal intent towards the nation of Israel, think again. And yes, we're going to continue to provide them the capabilities to go after it."
Former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, says that the fighting in Gaza should have stopped months ago, and is questioning the operation in Rafah.
Mr Olmert is a critic of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaking to SKY News, Mr Olmert says the country has reached a point where the victory that Mr Netanyahu has said was coming may not be reached.
But Mr Olmert says there is still a possibility some of the hostages held by Hamas can be saved.
"I thought that it had to stop a while ago, not just now, two months ago, three months ago, there was no really any possible purpose that was worth the cost, as I say. And I think that the prime minister is, not just wrong, I think that he pushes it because of reasons which are not in line with what we consider to be the national interest and the security interests of the State of Israel, and particularly not the interest of saving Israelis that are held by these murderers and killers. And we may lose them. And we already lost many of them while they were killed by Hamas. So there is a likelihood that it will continue. We will not save them and there will not be an absolute victory anyway."
