Israel takes Rafah border crossing; ‘death blow’ for Gaza, Palestinian authorities fear

The Israeli government agreed to the limited military operation on Monday after Hamas unexpectedly agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire and release of hostages. However, according to Tel Aviv, the proposal does not meet Israeli requirements. According to the government, the operation in Rafah was necessary ‘to put military pressure on Hamas’.

In the morning, armored vehicles with exceptionally large Israeli flags could be seen at the border crossing, driving along the border with Egypt. Tanks positioned themselves near the buildings. The Rafah border crossing is the only one in the south not yet in Israeli hands. Gunfire could be heard continuously during the night. With the military action, the army also wants to prevent new mortar and rocket attacks from this area on Israeli locations just across the border with Gaza.

But Hamas accused Israel of attempting the operation to thwart ceasefire talks. Egypt, which together with Qatar has been mediating between the two warring parties for months, also expressed itself in similar terms.

Israel’s military show of force was preceded by a rocket attack by Hamas. Four soldiers were killed at an Israeli military post on Sunday near the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s radical right coalition partners again demanded that Rafah be taken. Despite the Israeli operation on Tuesday, Palestinian fighters again managed to shell Kerem Shalom with mortars from Rafah. There were no casualties this time.

‘Terrorist actions’

The new Palestinian shelling came after the Israeli army stated that taking over the border crossing was necessary “because it was being used for terrorist actions.” The eastern part of the city was the target of heavy Israeli airstrikes at night. According to the Palestinian authorities, twenty people were killed. The Israeli military said “targeted attacks” were being carried out on Hamas targets.

On Tuesday, just like a day earlier, the Israelis distributed leaflets across eastern neighborhoods of Rafah calling on residents to leave. About a hundred thousand Palestinians must go to a ‘humanitarian zone’ 20 kilometers away, near the city of Khan Younis, among other places. Tent camps have been set up here. The Israeli call was seen as a precursor to the ground attack on Rafah, should negotiations with Hamas finally fail.

Assistance

Aid organizations and the UN fear that the Israeli takeover of the border crossing will further limit aid to the 2.3 million residents of Gaza. The UN said on Tuesday that staff were being refused entry at the border crossing.

Gaza depends on this border crossing for most of its gasoline supply. Palestinian border authorities called the Israeli takeover a “death blow” for the people of Gaza. Sick residents and injured people are also transferred to Egypt via the border crossing.

According to the UN, food, petrol and other relief goods cannot be brought into Gaza via the border crossing at Kerem Shalom. “The two main arteries for getting aid into Gaza are currently closed,” a UN spokesman said. According to him, there is only one day’s worth of gasoline left in Gaza. If this runs out, aid will be seriously jeopardized, according to the UN.