The Israeli military claims it has taken control of the vital Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt – hours after rejecting a ceasefire deal accepted by Hamas. Israel said it was conducting “targeted strikes” against Hamas in the east of Rafah, which is the group’s final stronghold in Gaza. A Gaza border authority spokesperson told Reuters news agency the crossing, a major route for aid into the devastated enclave, has been closed because of the presence of Israeli tanks.