Israeli tanks seen advancing into Rafah despite international calls&nbspto halt&nbspoffensive

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes during an Israeli military operation in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday.

Israeli military tanks were seen in central Rafah on Tuesday for the first time since the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) entered Gaza’s southernmost city earlier this month, two eyewitnesses told CNN.

The move comes two days after an Israeli strike on a camp in Gaza’s southernmost cityand amid a push by the international community to stop its assault on the city.

Alaa Abu Ibrahim, a Rafah resident, told CNN that Israeli tanks were seen at the Al Awda roundabout in the center of

...won’t make this situation any less tragic.”Israel’s advance deeper into Rafah comes despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering it to “immediately halt” its military operation there. The UN and some of Israel’s European allies have called on it to abide by the ICJ’s order, saying it is binding.