Live Gaza | Israël neemt grensposten over, tanks aan rand Rafah
- Israël betreedt zuiden van Gazastrook
- Leger heeft grenspost tussen Egypte en Gaza overgenomen en gesloten
- Israëlische tanks aan de rand van Rafah
- VN kan Gaza niet meer via Rafah bereiken
Liveblog
dinsdag 7 mei om 12:19
Young Palestinians walk through the rubble in the Tel al Sultan neighborhood of Rafah. The city was hit by Israeli airstrikes last night.
Tuesday May 7 at 12:07
The Israeli army has distributed photos of tanks on the Palestinian side of the Rafah border post.
Tuesday May 7 at 12:06
The Israeli authorities no longer allow the United Nations to enter the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing. “We currently have no physical presence at the Rafah crossing as Israel has denied us access to this area,” said a spokesperson for UN aid agency OCHA, which handles aid to Gaza.
According to the spokesperson, the Gaza Strip only has a day’s supply of fuel. If the supply of fuel is stopped for an extended period of time, it could mean the end of the relief operation in Gaza.
Tuesday May 7 at 12:02
Palestinians leave tent camps in eastern Rafah after Israel begins offensive. They have been called by the Israeli authorities to move to Al Mawasi further west.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:57 am
Israel’s attack does not yet appear to be a large-scale invasion. The Israeli army is speaking of a “limited action” in Rafah, aimed at killing Hamas fighters and destroying their strongholds.
Footage shows Israeli tanks on the outskirts of Rafah, but it is unclear whether they have entered the city.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:54 am
Egypt condemns ‘dangerous escalation’ in Rafah
Egypt said in a statement that Israel’s attack marks a “dangerous escalation” of the conflict, threatening the lives of more than a million Palestinians. Egypt also believes that Israel is endangering talks on a ceasefire. Israel has taken over the Rafah crossing, which is on the border with Egypt.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:48 am
Hamas has fired rockets at Israeli soldiers at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The Israeli position at the border crossing was also hit by Hamas rockets on Sunday. That attack led to the closure of the important crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirms that rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip, without reporting whether they caused damage. Kerem Shalom is important for the delivery of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The border post is 3 kilometers from Rafah.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:42 am
Yesterday, Hamas announced that it had agreed to a proposed ceasefire. Israel said it was still examining the proposal, but an anonymous official told Reuters the conditions were “unacceptable”.
Israel and Hamas are still negotiating a possible truce in Gaza, but the Israeli army carried out attacks on Rafah in the night from Monday to Tuesday. At least 50 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza. These figures cannot be independently verified.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:24 am
Israel also takes over second border crossing
Israeli forces also moved towards the Kerem Shalom border crossing, about 3 kilometers from Rafah, on Monday evening. That transition is also said to have now been closed, reports say Reuters based on the Israeli army.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:23
Israel has now captured the border post between Rafah and Egypt, in the far south of the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet unanimously decided on Monday to proceed with the planned ground offensive in Rafah.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:18 am
0:48 Israeli tank destroys Gaza sign near Rafah
Tuesday May 7 at 11:17 am
Israeli tanks have advanced to the edge of the Gaza Strip.
Tuesday May 7 at 11:15 am
Israeli forces have taken over the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, the army reports https://twitter.com/idfonline/status/1787724622726680658. The Gaza border authority says the crossing has been closed due to the presence of Israeli tanks.
