Israeli troops took control of the Rafah border-crossing area in Gaza on Tuesday morning, with Hamas saying all aid flows from Egypt had stopped.

The army has halted “the movement of people and aid completely,” the Hamas-run crossing authority said in a statement. Soldiers replaced Palestinian flags with Israeli ones.

It’s the first time Israel’s army has moved into the area since the war with Hamas began in October.

Israeli Military Tells About 100,000 People to Leave Eastern Rafah

Palestinians sheltering in Rafah were told Monday to move to an “expanded humanitarian area”.

The border is the main entry point for aid into Gaza, and the Palestinian territory’s only crossing aside from those with Israel. The US has been urging Israel for weeks to allow more food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which the United Nations says are on the verge of famine.

The movement of troops came a day after Israel told residents in parts of eastern Rafah to leave immediately ahead of a possible attack on the city.

Most Arab and many European states have said Israel should not attack Rafah, fearing it would cause mass casualties. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas, with about 5,000 to 8,000 of its fighters and senior leaders lodged in the city, as well as many Israeli hostages.

Cease-fire talks between the two sides continue to drag. Hamas said on Monday night it had accepted a proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar. Israel rejected it, saying it contained demands the Jewish state cannot accept.

Israel called on civilians to evacuate parts of Rafah on Monday in what appeared to be preparation for a long-threatened assault on Hamas holdouts in the southern Gaza Strip city where more than a million war-displaced Palestinians have been sheltering.

Instructed by Arabic text messages, telephone calls, and flyers to move to what the Israeli military called an “expanded humanitarian zone” 20 km (7 miles) away, some Palestinian families lumbered out under chilly spring rain, witnesses said.

Israel’s military said it had begun encouraging residents of Rafah to evacuate in a “limited scope” operation. It gave no specific reasons, nor did it say if any offensive action might follow.

Seven months into its war against Hamas, Israel has been threatening to launch incursions in Rafah, which it says harbours thousands of Hamas fighters and potentially dozens of hostages. Victory is impossible without taking Rafah, it says.

The prospect of a high-casualty operation worries Western powers and neighbouring Egypt, which is trying to mediate a new round of truce talks between Israel and Hamas under which the Palestinian Islamist group might free some hostages.

The Rafah plan has opened an unusually public rift between Israel and Washington. Speaking to his U.S counterpart, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant linked Monday’s operation to the deadlock in indirect diplomacy, which he blamed on Hamas.

“During their discussion, Gallant discussed the efforts undertaken to achieve the release of hostages and indicated that at this stage, Hamas refuses the frameworks at hand,” the Israeli Defence Ministry said in a statement.

“Gallant emphasized that military action is required, including in the area of Rafah, at the lack of an alternative,” it added On Monday, the Israeli military called on Palestinians in eastern parts of Rafah to move to a nearby “humanitarian area”, saying it would “encourage … the gradual movement of civilians in the specified areas”.

Paystack, a leading financial technology company specializing in payment processing services, has announced a strategic partnership with Africa World Airlines (AWA), a prominent regional carrier operating in West Africa.

This collaboration unveiled through a joint statement by Jonathan Appiah, the Head of Commercial at Africa World Airlines, and Shola Akinlade, the Co-founder and CEO of Paystack, heralds a new era of convenience and efficiency for air travelers within the region.

The partnership aims to streamline the flight booking and payment process, offering passengers an array of seamless payment options tailored to their preferences.

With the integration of Paystack’s advanced payment gateway, passengers flying with Africa World Airlines can now enjoy hassle-free transactions, enhancing the overall travel experience.

Jonathan Appiah expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing AWA’s commitment to providing its customers with exceptional service.

He highlighted that the collaboration with Paystack allows AWA passengers in Ghana, Nigeria, and beyond to benefit from diverse payment methods, including card, mobile money, Apple Pay, bank transfers, USSD, PayAttitude, and QR codes.

“We are thrilled to partner with Paystack to offer our passengers a more convenient and streamlined booking and payment experience,” said Appiah. “At AWA, we are constantly seeking ways to enhance the overall travel experience for our customers, and we believe that this partnership with Paystack will significantly contribute to achieving that goal.”

Shola Akinlade, echoing similar sentiments, expressed Paystack’s enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the company’s dedication to making the booking process accessible and inclusive for travelers across the region.

“We are excited to partner with Africa World Airlines to provide passengers with a convenient and reliable payment experience,” stated Akinlade. “By offering a variety of payment options, we aim to make the booking process more accessible and inclusive for travelers across the region.”

The joint efforts of Paystack and Africa World Airlines signify a commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions in the aviation industry. As air travel continues to evolve, partnerships like these pave the way for enhanced passenger experiences and greater convenience in the skies of Africa.