Topline
The Israeli Defense Forces said they took control of the Rafah border crossing—the only crossing point between Gaza and Egypt—early on Tuesday after an overnight offensive, hours after Israeli officials dismissed a cease-fire proposal agreed to by Hamas and vowed to press on with its offensive.
An Israeli tank brigade took control of the Rafah border crossing on the Gazan side on Tuesday ... [+]
Key Facts
The IDF said it had conducted a “precise counterterrorism operation” to eliminate Hamas and its infrastructure “within specific areas of eastern Rafah.”
The statement added that Israeli troops had established “operational control” of the Gazan side of the Rafah border crossing, claiming it was being used for “terrorist purposes.”
The IDF also claimed it had killed 20 Hamas operatives during the operation and discovered three tunnels in the area.
The Israeli military also reportedly captured a part of the Salah a-Din road—the main highway running through the Gaza Strip—in eastern Rafah and cut it off from the border crossing.
Wael Abu Omer, the Rafah crossing communications director from the Hamas-run administration, shared footage of Israeli tanks at the crossing and confirmed its capture by the IDF.
Omer claimed the crossing has not been operational since Monday afternoon due to the military offensive and all flow of humanitarian aid from the Egyptian side has been halted.
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What To Watch For
Official Israeli statements described the move to capture the border crossing as a targeted operation. It is unclear if this is a precursor to a full-fledged ground assault into Rafah—something Israel’s allies, including the U.S., have warned against.
Key Background
On Monday, Hamas said it had agreed to a cease-fire proposal negotiated by Egypt and Qatar. The proposed deal called for a cessation of fighting, followed by a phased release of hostages and Israel pulling its forces out of populated areas in Gaza. In response, Israel said the cease-fire offer failed to address its key demands. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said his war cabinet unanimously agreed to “continue the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas in order to advance the release of our hostages and the other goals of the war.” Despite international pressure urging against a full-blown assault on Rafah, where more than 1.2 million Palestinian civilians are taking refuge, Israeli officials have repeatedly said they intend to move forward with a ground offensive into Rafah—which they claim is Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza. On Monday, the IDF told Palestinian civilians to evacuate parts of eastern Rafah and relocate north to a “humanitarian area” in Al-Mawasi.
Tangent
The Israeli government’s insistence on pressing forward with an offensive into Rafah has faced public pushback from the Biden administration. On Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters: “The U.S. will not support the Rafah offensive currently envisioned by Israel” and warned that it would “dramatically increase the suffering of the Palestinian people.” In a move likely backing up its warning, Washington has reportedly halted the sale of 6,500 precision-guided bombs known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) to the Israelis, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Further Reading
Israel Strikes Eastern Rafah As Hamas Cease-Fire Agreement Comes Under Scrutiny (Forbes)
Hamas Agrees To Cease-Fire Proposal That Israel Says Is ‘Far From’ Meeting Demands (Forbes)
