Tunnels under children’s bedrooms and silent streets – Sky News witnesses flattened city in Gaza
Rafah is now a wasteland.
The city in Gaza has been totally flattened by months of war.
The rubble in places is many metres high, the buildings that are still standing are hollow shells, their dark, empty windows like vacant souls in a horror show.
Sky News visited what remains of Rafah – a city once home to hundreds of thousands of people
The IDF allowed a Sky News team into the flattened city
One IDF soldier privately told Sky News that they understood it looked bad, but claimed they had no choice
Were it not for the constant whine of drones overhead, the streets would be silent.
The silence is occasionally broken by gunfire as remaining Hamas fighters step out of the ruins to fight a battle they’re losing.
Honestly, sometimes it is just hard to find the words to describe what you’re seeing.
I stood in what was a side street, surrounded by the remains of houses with clothes still hanging in wardrobes, children’s toys on the floor, a large cuddly bear hanging from a first-floor bedroom, and a pink tricycle vivid among the grey dust and debris.
Fifty metres away was a large roundabout, the recognisable contours of a school building still stood on the far side of the street.
Two Israeli tanks were parked there, watching, guarding, ready for the slightest movement.
It was on these streets and in these buildings where Hamas built up its arsenal, dug its tunnels and planned its attacks. And they’re still there.
Clothes still hung in a wardrobe from where families seemingly left in a hurry
A lone child’s tricycle was visible in the remains of one home
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International journalists cannot independently enter Gaza without an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) escort.
So it’s impossible to know whether this level of destruction was necessary or needless vengeance, punishment for a population considered collectively guilty for the worst massacre in Israel’s history.
I’d been into Gaza before the war and as I stood still, taking it all in, my memories started to bring the streets back to life.
I could see the bustle of the markets and restaurants, I could hear the constant traffic and the noise of children, so many children – half of Gaza’s population is under the age of 18.
“I know how bad this looks,” one soldier privately told me, “but we had no choice: Hamas had months to prepare for the Rafah fight, they set booby traps in houses and fought hard.”
A few metres away was the tunnel where six murdered Israeli hostages were found two weeks ago.
The six Israeli hostages murdered two weeks ago were found in this tunnel
Sky News’ Alistair Bunkall amid the destruction in Gaza
The entry shaft was under a child’s bedroom painted with Disney figures, quite possibly directly beneath the bed itself.
I was able to picture that room as I stood quietly taking it in, and I could imagine the joy of a child going to sleep watched over by Mickey Mouse and Cinderella.
I wonder where that child is now?
The entry shaft to part of Hamas’s tunnel network was found under a child’s bedroom, the IDF says
And how do you judge that stolen innocence with the tragedy that happened beneath it? Six people, also innocent, executed with bullets in the back of their heads.
Rafah is a city of ghosts.
We had driven into Gaza along the Philadelphi corridor, the nine-mile passage that runs along the Egyptian border fence and which has been the latest and heavily debated sticking point to a ceasefire deal.
Much of it is newly tarmacked by the Israelis, creating a highway that runs east to west.
They now have full control of it, and they now surround Gaza on all four sides.
The newly tarmacked Philadelphi corridor
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on keeping an IDF presence there to prevent Hamas smuggling weapons back in.
He also fears Hamas could try to smuggle hostages out of Gaza and, he claims, into Yemen or Iran, something that Israeli security officials say is not backed up by intelligence.
The Israeli military has uncovered nine tunnels running into Egypt. They were already blocked off by Hamas and the Egyptians before the Israelis got there.
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We were shown one, big enough to drive vehicles through. Machines nearby are drilling deep into the ground in search of more tunnels. The IDF isn’t certain they will find any.
There is still hopeful talk of a ceasefire, but frankly, it doesn’t feel likely.
The IDF believes it has created the conditions for one, but the decision is up to the politicians.
Up to the leaders, Hamas’s Yahya Sinwar and Mr Netanyahu. Each blames the other for the failure to reach an agreement.
In the meantime, the war in Gaza is changing – the fighting continues and airstrikes are still killing people on a daily basis, but it’s moving towards a grinding counter-insurgency and if that’s what the Israeli government wants, then it could be like this for years.
Sky News was granted permission by the Israeli military to enter Gaza – though our team’s movements were restricted and the material we gathered had to be authorised by the IDF
World
UK joins NATO operation to bolster Europe’s eastern flank after Russian drone incursions into Poland
NATO is to bolster Europe’s eastern flank, including the use of UK military resources, after Russia’s “reckless and unacceptable” violation of Polish airspace.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced operation ‘Eastern Sentry’ on Friday, involving the deployment of equipment on the border with Belarus, Russia and Ukraine to deter potential Russian aggression.
Poland shot down Russian drones which flew over the country on Wednesday, something the military alliance has portrayed as an attempt by Moscow to test NATO’s military response.
It underlines long-held concerns about the potential expansion of Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine.
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Michael Clarke: Russia looking to frighten NATO
Russia said its drones went astray because they were jammed, but European leaders believe the incursions were a deliberate provocation by Russia.
“It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied airspace,” Mr Rutte told a news conference.
Mark Rutte described Russian drones entering Polish airspace as ‘reckless’. Pic: Reuters
He added that allies, including the UK, France, Germany and Denmark, have so far committed to the mission with others set to join.
In a statement, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said: “The UK is fully committed to playing our part in NATO’s Eastern Sentry following the reckless and dangerous airspace violations by Russia”. It added that the details of the UK’s contribution would be announced soon.
Yvette Cooper visited Ukraine on Friday, her first visit to the country since becoming foreign secretary after a cabinet shake-up by Sir Keir Starmer.
Ms Cooper described her trip, which included a meeting with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine.
“The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Ms Cooper said, noting what she said was the Russian president’s “complete disregard for sovereignty” by sending drones into NATO airspace.
Yvette Cooper met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Prince Harry also made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday, where he met with wounded service members.
NATO already has substantial forces in eastern Europe, including thousands of troops, but the alliance did not explain how many additional forces would be involved in the new operation.
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Prince Harry’s surprise visit to Ukraine
Speaking at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters, US General Alexus Grynkewich told reporters the additional resources will enable the alliance to “plug gaps in the line” and concentrate forces wherever they’re needed while improving communications across NATO’s entire eastern flank.
NATO detailed a modest number of additional military assets – including two F-16 fighter jets and a frigate from Denmark, three Rafale fighter jets from France and four Eurofighter jets from Germany.
The announcement also coincided with a joint military exercise involving thousands of Russian and Belarusian troops, which began on Friday.
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Meanwhile, new measures were announced by the UK against Russia on Friday.
They included bans on 70 vessels the UK says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions.
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – were also sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
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Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, dismissed Donald Trump’s suggestion that the drone incursion into Poland may have been “a mistake”.
“We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake,” Mr Tusk wrote on X. “But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
US-led efforts to steer Moscow and Kyiv toward a peace settlement have so far failed to progress.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said talks to end the war were currently on “pause” even though channels of communication remain open.
Thousands of troops are taking part in a joint military exercise between Russia and Belarus, as tensions with the EU run high following a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace earlier this week.
The Zapad joint military exercise which began on Friday will involve drills in both Russia and Belarus as well as in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.
Belarusian defence officials initially said about 13,000 troops would participate in the drill, but in May, its defence ministry said that would be cut nearly in half.
It comes just two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down Russian drones over its airspace.
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Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday morning hit back at a suggestion by US President Donald Trump on Thursday that the incursion may have been a “mistake”.
He said in a post on X: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
Russia said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the incursions and that it had not intended to hit any targets in Poland.
Friday also saw Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper travelling to Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv on the same day the UK announced fresh sanctions against Moscow.
Prince Harry was also in Kyiv for a surprise visit to help with the recovery of military personnel seriously injured in the three-year war with Russia.
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Prince Harry arrives in Kyiv
Ms Cooper, who was appointed foreign secretary last week, posted about her visit on X saying: “The UK’s support for Ukraine is steadfast. I am pleased to be in Kyiv on my first visit as Foreign Secretary.”
The UK’s new sanctions include bans on 70 vessels that Britain says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions already in place.
Yvette Cooper with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/PA
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – have also been sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
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Meanwhile on the frontline, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s oil-loading Primorsk port overnight, an SBU official said.
The attack caused fires and suspended oil-loading operations, the official added.
Russian defence systems also intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Prince Harry has made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, a spokesperson for the royal has said.
Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, visited the city at the invitation of the Ukrainian government.
The Duke of Sussex travelled to the capital to help with the recovery of military personnel seriously injured in the three-year war with Russia.
Pic: Railway of Ukraine Ukrzaliznytsia/AP
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will also be travelling to Kyiv on Friday in what will be her first foreign trip since being appointed to the job last week.
Her visit coincides with the UK launching a new package of Russia-related sanctions targeting ships carrying Russian oil as well as companies and individuals supplying electronics, chemicals and explosives used to make Russian weapons.
It comes as Russia and Belarus began a major joint military exercise on on NATO’s doorstep on Friday, just two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down suspected Russian drones over its airspace.
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Drones shot down in Poland
The Zapad-2025 exercise – a show of force by Russia and its close ally – will involve drills in both countries and in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.
Meanwhile on the frontline, Russian defence systems intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight,
including nine over the Moscow region, the ministry said on Friday.
The duke told the Guardian while on an overnight train to Kyiv: “We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process.
“We can continue to humanise the people involved in this war and what they are going through.
“We have to keep it in the forefront of people’s minds. I hope this trip will help to bring it home to people because it’s easy to become desensitised to what has been going on.”
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Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, previously travelled to Ukraine in April, when he visited war victims as part of his work with wounded veterans.
The prince visited the Superhumans Center, an orthopaedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians.
Earlier this week, Harry said the King is “great” after he reunited with him at Clarence House for a private tea.
It was their first meeting in 19 months and lasted just 54 minutes.
The last time the father and son saw each other was in February 2024 when the prince flew to the UK after the monarch announced his cancer diagnosis.
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have lived in California since they quit roles as senior working royals in March 2020.
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