GAZA CITY, Palestine

As Israel closes the Rafah crossing for the fifth day in a row, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas voiced on Saturday grave concerns warning that the ongoing blockade foreshadows a looming humanitarian catastrophe for residents in the region.

In a statement, the group said that “the control and closure of the crossing have resulted in the disruption of humanitarian and medical aid reaching Palestinians, exacerbating the impact of ongoing aggression.”

It has halted the departure of the injured seeking medical treatment abroad, Hamas added.

“This signals an impending humanitarian crisis and worsening famine across the blockaded territory with the Zionist occupation held fully accountable for the crime of genocide, starvation tactics, and ethnic cleansing,” the resistance group said.

The movement called on "the international community, the United Nations and its institutions to swiftly intervene and prevent the unfolding humanitarian disaster amidst the escalating Zionist assault on Rafah.”

On Monday, the Israeli army began a military operation in Rafah taking control of the Palestinian side of the city’s crossing and closing it, disregarding mounting international warnings.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas which killed around 1,200 people.

Nearly 35,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have since been killed, and over 78,600 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

South Africa on Friday asked the ICJ to order Israel to withdraw from Rafah as part of additional emergency measures over the war.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi