In a recent military operation during the night, Israel reportedly killed 20 Hamas fighters while taking control of the Rafah border crossing. This strategic crossing connects the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip and leads into Egypt.
Israeli military forces, according to a senior military official, have taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip. The official stated that Israeli troops are currently deployed in the eastern area of Rafah, with the Rafah border crossing into Egypt now under “operational Israeli control” on the Palestinian side. Video footage released by the military depicted tanks rolling into the Rafah border area, with a prominent display of the Israeli national flag on one of the tanks. Following evacuation calls by the army on Monday, most civilians and representatives of international aid organizations had already left the area.
The military emphasized that the operation was a “precise anti-terrorist operation on a very limited scale.” Special forces are reportedly combing through the Rafah crossing in search of Hamas militants.
Israel suffered casualties when members of the Hamas military wing launched rockets at the Kerem Shalom border crossing on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers. While the crossing for humanitarian aid remains closed after the attack, efforts are underway to reopen it as soon as possible.
A vehicle rigged with explosives, heading towards Israeli soldiers, was destroyed in the operation.
On Monday evening, Hamas announced its agreement to a ceasefire proposal. However, Israeli officials stated that the proposal did not meet their demands, and they are currently reviewing it.
The Israeli Cabinet decided on Monday to continue the military operation in Rafah to increase pressure on Hamas and achieve its military objectives. The US government does not believe that the long-anticipated major offensive in Rafah has commenced yet.
Israeli media also reported that the central road linking the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip is now under the control of the Israeli military. Internationally, there are concerns that a potential Israeli ground offensive in Rafah could have serious consequences, especially for the civilian population in the embattled Gaza Strip ending in an even greater humanitarian catastrophe than it is now.
During the Israeli army’s operation in the night, 20 Hamas members were reportedly killed, and three tunnel entrances were discovered.
According to Israeli government officials cited by the news portal “Axios,” the use of tanks and ground units east of Rafah is considered the first phase of the offensive. The takeover of the Rafah border crossing aims to crash Hamas’ power in the Gaza Strip and to involve unaffiliated Palestinians in the distribution of aid coming from Egypt into the isolated coastal enclave.
Rafah, located on the border with Egypt, is considered the last Hamas’ stronghold in the Gaza Strip. Israel has been preparing for a ground offensive in Rafah for months, where approximately one million refugees have sought shelter from the ongoing fighting in the Gaza conflict. According to a local hospital, five people were killed in Israeli attacks in Rafah, and several others were admitted following Israeli assaults during the night.
