As the war in Gaza wages on attacks have been focused on the southern city of Rafah in recent weeks as Israeli forces say they are targeting Hamas battalions.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would move on the city “with or without a deal” to achieve its goal of destroying the militant group Hamas.
He said: “We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice.
“We will destroy the Hamas battalions there, we will complete all the objectives of the war, including the return of all our hostages,”
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched a military offensive in and around Rafah on 6 May.
Now Israeli tanks have reached the centre of Rafah after air strikes in the past 24 hours are reported to have killed dozens and injured hundreds more.
What does ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ mean?
The phrase “All Eyes on Rafah” has been gaining momentum in recent weeks as a call to action, drawing the world’s attention to what has been going on in the city.
And after the Israeli air strikes on Sunday on a tent camp full of displaced Palestinians, there has been a surge in references to the phrase across social media.
The phrase is being employed by social media users to highlight the plight of the 1.4 million displaced Gazans who had been sheltering there and the impact the war is having on them.
Former Made in Chelsea star turned presenter and DJ Ashley James posted the phrase on X.
While Loose Women presenter and actor Nadia Sawalha used the phrase in a post on Instagram three weeks ago calling on the Government to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Where is Rafah?
Rafah is a Palestinian city in southern Gaza, close to the border with Egypt.
In 2017, it was estimated to have a population of 171,889. By February this year, it had swelled by 1.4 million as Palestinians fled from the north of the region to escape the bombardment as a result of the war.
Rafah is also the site of the only border crossing with Egypt and has been a gateway for aid into the enclave and an exit point for those trying the flee.
What is happening in Rafah?
Gazans who have fled from the north of region have been taking refuge in vast tent camps which have built up in the city.
Since Israel announced its planned ground operation in Rafah, around 800,000 people have left the city.
At least 45 people were killed, including women and children, in an Israeli air strike which led to a fire in a camp in Rafah on Sunday night, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Footage of the Tal al-Sultan area on Sunday night revealed a large explosion and intense fires burning.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to it as a “tragic mishap”.
The Israeli military said an initial investigation into a strike which sparked the deadly fire found the blaze was caused by a secondary explosion.
Fresh Israeli strikes on a tent area to the west of the city is reported to have killed a further 21 Palestinians with dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials have said.
