Tens of thousands in Rafah are fleeing in sheer terror, confusion and panic. With numerous fatalities and injuries, the conflict is escalating at a speed that blurs the magnitude of humanitarian loss and suffering. The long-dreaded disaster has befallen Gaza's Rafah, as the region reels under the impact of Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military has asserted its capture of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, proclaiming "operational control of the area."