11 min

Israel seized control of the Rafah border crossing. The impact could be devastating Consider This from NPR

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The Biden administration has put a hold on an arms shipment to Israel. A senior administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity told NPR it was due to concerns the bombs could be used in Rafah.

Rafah is the site of Israel's latest campaign in its war against Hamas. It's also home to some 1.3 million Palestinians. More than half of those people have fled fighting in other parts of Gaza.

On Monday night, Israeli tanks rolled into Rafah taking control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing with Egypt.

The seizure of the border crossing cuts a key supply line for humanitarian aid.

Israel says its incursion in Rafah is a "precise counterterrorism operation." But possible further military action along with the closed border crossing could exacerbate a humanitarian catastrophe.

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The Biden administration has put a hold on an arms shipment to Israel. A senior administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity told NPR it was due to concerns the bombs could be used in Rafah.

Rafah is the site of Israel's latest campaign in its war against Hamas. It's also home to some 1.3 million Palestinians. More than half of those people have fled fighting in other parts of Gaza.

On Monday night, Israeli tanks rolled into Rafah taking control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing with Egypt.

The seizure of the border crossing cuts a key supply line for humanitarian aid.

Israel says its incursion in Rafah is a "precise counterterrorism operation." But possible further military action along with the closed border crossing could exacerbate a humanitarian catastrophe.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

11 min

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