Aid agencies are warning of a humanitarian catastrophe after Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza and closed the flow of aid through the checkpoint. The Rafah crossing, which is the only corridor between Gaza and Egypt, was surrounded by Israeli tanks and soldiers on Tuesday in what the military has described as a "limited" and "specific" operation targeting Hamas militants.
The crossing has been part of a crucial pipeline of humanitarian aid throughout the seven months of the Israel-Gaza war, allowing the delivery of food, water and medical supplies, and the evacuation of patients from the territory's besieged medical facilities.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman Jens Laerke says he is worried about how the development would impact Palestinians.
"That is catastrophic for people who are in there and for the humanitarian operation going forward," he said.
"It means a family, probably displaced anywhere inside entire Gaza, will not have access to the food they need. They will not have access to clean water.
"If they find a health clinic that may still be open, or they are visited by a mobile health clinic that does operate inside Gaza, they probably won't have any supplies to help them with."
The flashpoint at the Rafah crossing comes after another gateway in the Gaza Strip's south was closed earlier this month.
The Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza was shuttered after a Hamas rocket attack on the area killed four Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers.
The Israeli military, and the Israeli government department tasked with coordinating aid deliveries into Palestinian territories, COGAT, did not respond to ABC questions about what future plans were to get aid into Gaza.
"If we cannot use those two border crossings, there is very little possibility of getting aid into the Strip," Mr Laerke said.
"So it doesn't only affect the people in Rafah, in the south, but the entire strip is currently kind of choked off from aid.
"It's a life-threatening situation that has become very, very acute."
Bilal Ahmad Hussein fled to Rafah with his wife and six children after the start of the war.
He relies on aid for his family's survival and fears his children will soon run out of food.
"Yesterday, the crossing was open, we got some food, some fava beans, some meat, we managed to be feeding our children," he said.
"Now, the crossing is shut. I only have 10 green beans and peas cans left.
"The aid is essential as I don't have money to buy food and water."
Mr Hussein said his family was confused about what to do and terrified the Rafah military operation would be expanded to where they were living.
"We are afraid, our life is dangerous, we fear bombardment, they target tents that are so vulnerable."
"Look at these children," he says, pointing to one of his sons.
"What has he done wrong? What has he got to do with October 7?"
The current conflict began when Hamas and aligned groups launched terror raids into Israel on October 7 last year, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
The death toll inside Gaza has passed 34,700, according to local authorities.
UN agencies have predicted there is one day of fuel stockpiles left across the Palestinian enclave.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Rafah operation had been ordered partly to increase pressure on Hamas for a hostage deal.
"We have already proven, in the previous release of hostages, that military pressure on Hamas is an essential condition for the return of our hostages," Mr Netanyahu said.
"[The operation] is a very important step, an important step on the way to destroying Hamas's remaining military capabilities, including the elimination of the four terrorist battalions in Rafah, and an important step to damaging Hamas's governing capabilities, because … we have denied Hamas the crossing that was vital to establishing its terrorist regime in the strip."
The United States says Israel told the White House that the operation in Rafah was designed to prevent weapons and funds from being smuggled into Gaza.
On Monday, Hamas announced it had accepted a ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, although Israel has described that plan as "far from" what it would be prepared to sign up to.
While Hamas's move initially prompted celebrations on the streets of Gaza, the past 24 hours have seen fear and panic spread through Rafah as fighting there intensified.
Hamas says it has attacked IDF soldiers and tanks around Rafah, while Israel's takeover of the Rafah crossing has been widely condemned by international stakeholders.
Israel's defence minister has also indicated the Rafah operation could be expanded to a full ground invasion of the southern Gazan city.
"This operation will continue until we eliminate Hamas in the Rafah area and the entire Gaza Strip, or until the first hostage returns," Yoav Gallant said.
"We are willing to make compromises in order to bring back hostages, but if that option is removed, we will go on and 'deepen' the operation."
