The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) offensive against the Hamas stronghold in Rafah, southern Gaza, began on Monday with battles to capture two key strategic locations: the Rafah-Egyptian border crossing and the Philadelphia Road along the Egyptian border.
Israeli forces, including artillery and armored units, encountered moderate resistance from Hamas fighters during several hours of fighting along a three-kilometre stretch between the Gaza-Israel border and the Rafah border crossing.
No Israeli casualties were reported, but dozens of Palestinian casualties are said to have occurred.
Images and videos on social media show Israeli tanks arriving at the Rafah border and then the Palestinian flag being replaced by an Israeli flag, the first time in almost 20 years that Israel has physically taken control of the border. It was about.
162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 >> pic.twitter.com/C1KT6UnpKM
— और देखें May 7, 2024
Leaked footage purports to show Israeli tanks on the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing this morning. #OpSecIsForLosers pic.twitter.com/6GrayPX9hQ
— Emmanuel (Manny) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 7, 2024
After the Rafah crossing was captured, the Israeli flag was also raised there. pic.twitter.com/R8VslmDdmK
— Emmanuel (Manny) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 7, 2024
The IDF said in a statement:
At night (Monday), IDF ground forces launched a precise counter-terrorism operation based on IDF and ISA [Israel Security Agency] Intelligence agency to eliminate Hamas terrorists and dismantle Hamas terrorist infrastructure within specific areas of eastern Rafah.
Prior to the operation, the IDF encouraged residents of the eastern region of Rafah to temporarily evacuate to the expanded humanitarian zone of Al Mawashi. There, the IDF facilitated the expansion of field hospitals and tents, as well as increased water, food, and rations. Medical supplies. International organizations operating in the area were also encouraged to temporarily evacuate before operations began.
Following information indicating that the Rafah crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes, Israeli Defense Forces forces succeeded in establishing operational control of the Gaza side of the crossing. On Sunday, mortar shells were fired from near the Rafah intersection toward the Kerem Shalom intersection, killing four IDF soldiers and injuring many others.
Additionally, as part of the operation, IDF ground forces and International Air Force fighter aircraft attacked Hamas terrorist targets in the Rafah region, including military facilities, underground infrastructure, and additional terrorist infrastructure where Hamas operates in the Rafah region. Eliminated. Since the start of the operation, approximately 20 terrorists have been eliminated and three operational tunnel shafts have been identified. No injuries were reported.
IDF ground forces continue operations against Hamas terrorist operatives and infrastructure in the Rafah Crossing area, east of Rafah.
Israel used the attack as a means to prevent Hamas leaders from fleeing Gaza or importing more weapons into Gaza during the ensuing fighting for the town where the last four Hamas battalions are based. They want to keep the Rafah intersection.
united nations opposed Israel argued that crossing Rafah would impede the movement of aid to Gaza. Hamas attacked the Kerem Shalom crossing over the weekend, receiving little opposition from the United Nations.
There is currently a surplus of humanitarian supplies in northern Gaza, with local informal markets said to be busy with a variety of food and other goods, but the United Nations says Gaza is running out of fuel. It is said that
It is not clear when Israel’s mission in Rafah will be expanded, but the IDF is expected to act slowly and methodically.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. He is the author of a recently published e-book.The Zionist conspiracy (and how to join it)‘ is now available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 US Presidential Election. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
