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Photos: Border tensions rise as Israel confirms Rafah as its next military target

By NPR Staff
Published February 19, 2024 at 12:23 PM EST
Mahmoud Kamil Barjawi poses for a portrait outside the home of his cousin, who fell victim to an Israeli attack on Thursday, Feb. 15, that claimed the lives of at least seven members of the same family and three Hezbollah fighters who were in the building, according to Lebanese local media.
Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
Mahmoud Kamil Barjawi poses for a portrait outside the home of his cousin, who fell victim to an Israeli attack on Thursday, Feb. 15, that claimed the lives of at least seven members of the same family and three Hezbollah fighters who were in the building, according to Lebanese local media.

This past week revealed tensions between bordering countries along with confirmation of Israel's newest military target: Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. As a result, Egypt implemented a buffer zone preparing for possible spill over of Palestinian refugees. Across the Israel-Lebanon border, airstrikes took the lives of many on Wednesday and Thursday, including Israeli soldiers, Hezbollah fighters and civilians.

As a lack of resources throughout Gaza intensifies, Nasser Hospital's power was cut as it was invaded by Israeli forces, resulting in the deaths of patients on site. On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel is "thoroughly planning" a military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which has continued to be a place of refuge for over 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Demonstrators protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Feb. 17, against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for new elections in the latest protest against his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
Leo Correa / AP
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AP
Demonstrators protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Feb. 17, against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for new elections in the latest protest against his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
The home of Yuval Salomon, killed in Kibbutz Kfar Azza, in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, is shown on Tuesday, Feb. 13, the site of a cross-border attack by Hamas.
Maya Alleruzzo / AP
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AP
The home of Yuval Salomon, killed in Kibbutz Kfar Azza, in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, is shown on Tuesday, Feb. 13, the site of a cross-border attack by Hamas.
Workers unload bags of humanitarian aid that entered Gaza by truck through the Kerem Shalom/Karm Abu Salem border crossing in the southern part of the Palestinian territory on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Said Khatib / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Workers unload bags of humanitarian aid that entered Gaza by truck through the Kerem Shalom/Karm Abu Salem border crossing in the southern part of the Palestinian territory on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh gather Saturday, Feb. 17, to mourn the seven members of the Berjawi family that were killed in their home by Israeli rockets on Thursday.
/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
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Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
Residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh gather Saturday, Feb. 17, to mourn the seven members of the Berjawi family that were killed in their home by Israeli rockets on Thursday.
Palestinians pray in a damaged mosque following an Israeli strike in Rafah on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Fatima Shbair / AP
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AP
Palestinians pray in a damaged mosque following an Israeli strike in Rafah on Thursday, Feb. 15.
A displaced Palestinian woman who fled her house due to Israeli strikes takes shelter in a tent camp in Rafah on Tuesday, Feb. 13, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters
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Reuters
A displaced Palestinian woman who fled her house due to Israeli strikes takes shelter in a tent camp in Rafah on Tuesday, Feb. 13, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
A displaced Palestinian boy sells homemade potato chips outside a tent camp in Rafah on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Saleh Salem / Reuters
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Reuters
A displaced Palestinian boy sells homemade potato chips outside a tent camp in Rafah on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Family members of the hostages being held in Gaza handcuff themselves to one another on Thursday, Feb. 15, outside The Kirya, in Tel Aviv, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, during a protest calling for a deal to secure their relatives' release.
/ Tamir Kalifa for NPR
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Tamir Kalifa for NPR
Family members of the hostages being held in Gaza handcuff themselves to one another on Thursday, Feb. 15, outside The Kirya, in Tel Aviv, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, during a protest calling for a deal to secure their relatives' release.
Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is still in captivity in Gaza, and other relatives of the hostages demonstrate outside of The Kirya, in Tel Aviv, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, after handcuffing themselves to one another on Thursday, Feb. 15, during a protest calling for a deal to secure their release.
/ Tamir Kalifa for NPR
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Tamir Kalifa for NPR
Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is still in captivity in Gaza, and other relatives of the hostages demonstrate outside of The Kirya, in Tel Aviv, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, after handcuffing themselves to one another on Thursday, Feb. 15, during a protest calling for a deal to secure their release.
People inspect the damage to their homes on Monday, Feb. 12, following Israeli air strikes in Rafah.
Ahmad Hasaballah / Getty Images
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Getty Images
People inspect the damage to their homes on Monday, Feb. 12, following Israeli air strikes in Rafah.
People stand in front of portraits of hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Monday, Feb. 12, outside Tel Aviv's Museum of Art, now informally called the "Hostages Square."
Ahmad Gharbali / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
People stand in front of portraits of hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Monday, Feb. 12, outside Tel Aviv's Museum of Art, now informally called the "Hostages Square."
Israeli tanks are seen along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Jack Guez / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Israeli tanks are seen along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Thursday, Feb. 15.
Neighbors and media teams stand in front of a building on Thursday, Feb. 15, that lays in ruins following an Israeli attack that claimed the lives of at least seven members of the same family.
/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
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Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
Neighbors and media teams stand in front of a building on Thursday, Feb. 15, that lays in ruins following an Israeli attack that claimed the lives of at least seven members of the same family.
Palestinian families leave Rafah with their belongings on Monday, Feb. 12, as Israel threatens another military incursion in the southernmost Gaza city.
Anas Baba / NPR
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NPR
Palestinian families leave Rafah with their belongings on Monday, Feb. 12, as Israel threatens another military incursion in the southernmost Gaza city.
Residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh join relatives Saturday, Feb. 17, in mourning the loss of seven members of the Berjawi family, who were killed in their home by Israeli rockets on Thursday, Feb. 15.
/ Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
/
Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR
Residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh join relatives Saturday, Feb. 17, in mourning the loss of seven members of the Berjawi family, who were killed in their home by Israeli rockets on Thursday, Feb. 15.
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