'All eyes on Rafah': Israeli tanks attack southern Gaza despite global outcry

Children look on, as Palestinians travel on foot along with their belongings as they flee Rafah (Photo: Reuters)

Social media has been flooded with one strong message against Israel's attacks on Rafah city located in war-torn Gaza: All eyes on Rafah.

The phrase holds significance as Israel’s war on Gaza continues despite the major global outcry. "'All eyes on Rafah' is a phrase that refers to the ongoing genocide in Rafah, Gaza, with over 1.4 million Palestinians seeking shelter," Iran's Embassy in India had earlier this month posted on X.

As per the latest reports, Israeli tanks also reached the centre of Rafah for the first time on May 28. As reported by Reuters, tanks were spotted near the Al-Awda mosque, which is considered a landmark of central Rafah.

Israel has kept up attacks despite the ruling by the International Court of Justice on Friday ordering it to stop, arguing that the top U.N. court's ruling grants it some scope for military action there.

All eyes on Rafah: All you need to know:

--Latest reports said that Israel advanced to an area of tents housing displaced people West of Rafah where twenty-one Palestinians were killed, at least twelve of them women, and dozens wounded.

--Global leaders have voiced horror at the fire in a designated "humanitarian zone" where families uprooted by fighting elsewhere in Gaza had sought shelter, and urged the implementation of a World Court order for a halt to Israel's assault.

--Overnight, its forces battered the city with airstrikes and tank fire, residents said, pressing the offensive despite an international outcry over an attack on Sunday that sparked a massive blaze in a tent camp, killing at least 45 Palestinians, more than half of them children, women and the elderly.

--The United Nations Security Council has convened an emergency meeting on May 28, following Israeli strike on a displaced persons camp in Rafah, Gaza. Algeria requested the closed-door meeting, the diplomats said. The country is a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

--In another move purportedly aimed at reining in the violence, Spain, Ireland and Norway were to officially recognise a Palestinian state on Tuesday. The three countries have said they hope their decision will accelerate efforts towards securing a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas militants, now in its eighth month, that has reduced much of the densely populated territory to rubble.

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--Around one million people - many repeatedly displaced by shifting waves of the war - have fled the Israeli offensive in Rafah since early May, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported.

--Israel says it wants to root out Hamas fighters holed up in Rafah and rescue hostages it says are being held in the area.

--More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, Gaza's health ministry says. Israel launched its air and ground war after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

(With inputs from agencies)