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Israel’s army takes control of Gaza’s Rafah crossing
Israel’s army has taken control of Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt following a night of intense bombardment in the region. Tanks were deployed to the area, which serves as a crucial point of entry for aid, after Israeli civilians were advised to evacuate the area. Talks of a truce are set to resume in Cairo after Israel deemed the terms agreed upon by Hamas as unacceptable, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to voice his concerns about the proposals not meeting Israel’s basic requirements.
Despite the deadlock in negotiations, Israel has decided to send a delegation to Cairo while continuing operations in Rafah to apply military pressure on Hamas. The Palestinian group had reportedly accepted truce terms put forward by mediators from Qatar and Egypt, but the specifics of the agreement remain unclear, with differences possibly revolving around the language used to denote the end or pause of the conflict.
Israel had issued warnings to Palestinians to vacate eastern parts of Rafah in anticipation of the strikes, affecting over 100,000 civilians. The Israeli military described the operation as “limited”, targeting Hamas hold-outs in the densely populated city of 1.4 million residents. The objective of the operation, according to Israel, is to secure the release of hostages, dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure, and eliminate any future threats to Israel from Gaza.
Hamas, on the other hand, had communicated its approval of a ceasefire proposal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, with the possibility of ending hostile activities permanently. The proposal outlined a two-phase ceasefire plan, with the initial phase focusing on the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. The subsequent phase would lead to a sustained period of calm and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
A previous ceasefire agreement in November saw the release of hostages and prisoners but failed to resolve the conflict entirely. The current negotiations aim to address the remaining issues, including the release of Israeli hostages and the establishment of a lasting peace in the region.
