CAIRO, May 30. /TASS/. Cellular communications have been cut off in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, due to the Israeli operation, Jawwal, a Palestinian telecom provider, has reported.

"We regret to report the cessation of cellular services in the city of Rafah due to the ongoing aggression," the provider said in a statement on its official Facebook page (banned in Russia, owned by Meta Corporation, recognized as extremist in Russia). The company's employees are making every effort to resume services, the statement says.

On May 6, the Israel Defense Forces announced the beginning of preparations for the evacuation of residents from eastern Rafah. On May 7, the army reported the beginning of a military operation in a number of neighborhoods in the east of the city and taking control of the checkpoint on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

On the night of May 27, the Israeli military struck Rafah; at least eight missiles hit the tent camp in the Tell al Sultan area near the UNRWA warehouse. A fire broke out in the tent city. At least 40 people were killed in the raid. Most victims were women and children, according to the latest figures cited by the Palestinian WAFA news agency.