The decision to launch military action in Rafah, a city located in the Gaza Strip, has been approved by Israeli leaders. Israeli officials have confirmed that forces have started targeting certain areas.
The announcement of military action came a few hours after Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, stated that they had accepted a ceasefire proposal initiated by Egypt and Qatar.
While recognising that the proposed plan deviates considerably from Israel’s key demands, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office revealed that they would still send delegates to further negotiate the terms of the agreement. A statement on Monday from Hamas confirmed that Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s supreme leader, accepted the ceasefire proposal during a telephone conversation with the prime minister of Qatar and the intelligence minister of Egypt. Both Middle Eastern countries have been responsible for mediating the prolonged discussion between Hamas and Israel.
There has been an international call for peace, including from António Guterres, the secretary general of United Nations. On Monday, through his spokesperson, Guterres appealed to Israel’s government and Hamas to make the necessary concession for the agreement to occur, aiming to relieve the prevailing suffering. The UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, explained that the secretary general was quite worried about the potential large-scale military operation in Rafah. He consequently reminded all parties involved about the importance of civilian safety under international humanitarian law.
President Joe Biden of the United States also had a telephone conversation with Mr Netanyahu on Monday. The American president reiterated the US’s objection to an invasion of Rafah, emphasising his assessment that a ceasefire with Hamas would be the optimal approach to safeguarding Israeli captives in Gaza.
The White House informed that they are analysing Hamas’ response to a proposal involving a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The specific details of the arrangement have not been shared so far. The CIA director, William Burns, is in the region to engage in discussions about the proposal, as shared by White House spokesperson, John Kirby.
In Kirby’s words, “We are committed to securing the release of these hostages, ensuring a cessation of hostilities for six weeks, and boosting humanitarian aid”, affirming the desired end goal of an agreement.
Israel encouraged civilians to evacuate parts of Rafah, an area sheltering over a million displaced Palestinians due to war. The military of Israel has initiated a “limited scope” operation prompting residents of Rafah, using Arabic text messages, phone calls and flyers, to relocate to an “expanded humanitarian zone” which is 20km or around 7 miles away. Despite the spring rain, numerous Palestinian families began their journey under the harsh conditions, observed onlookers.
According to Israel, a war that’s been going on for seven months against Hamas can’t be won without gaining control of Rafah, a place they allege is harboring an abundance of Hamas militants and possible captives. They have warned of potential ventures into the area. The UN’s Palestinian Relief Agency (Unrwa) was quoted stating that an Israeli onslaught in Rafah would result in further deaths and suffering for civilians, with the effects being catastrophic for the 1.4 million inhabitants. The agency confirmed that despite the situation, it’s not planning to evacuate, but instead, persist in delivering necessary humanitarian aid.
Israeli aircraft launched an overnight strike at Rafah, with 10 residential buildings being bombed. This resulted in the demise of 20 individuals with several others getting injured, according to healthcare professionals. On Sunday, a Hamas rocket assault near Rafah, particularly the Kerem Shalom gateway to Gaza, saw three Israeli troops lose their lives. Conversely, Palestinian medical officials reported a minimum of 19 fatalities owing to Israeli gunfire. This information is based on reports from Reuters and PA.