The army tells people to leave parts of Rafah
Israeli demands for a cease-fire agreement in Gaza: Israel’s response in the wake of the Hamas militant group’s decision to leave the country
JERUSALEM — The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after “in-depth and serious discussions,” the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected. The outlook seemed to get dimmer as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that he would resist international pressure to stop the war.
For months, Israel has threatened to launch its ground offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.2 million population are sheltered. Netanyahu says it is the best way to defeat Hamas. Israel believes that four of the remaining Hamas battalions are still based in Rafah.
Israel’s move comes after the latest round of negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas appeared to remain stuck on key issues of concern. The CIA director is reported to have taken part in the Cairo talks.
Another threat to talks came as Israel ordered the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite news network to close, accusing it of broadcasting anti-Israel incitement. The ban did not appear to affect the channel’s operations in Gaza or the West Bank.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh stated in his statement that stopping Israeli aggression in Gaza is the priority and that the militant group is positive about the negotiations.
“What’s going on” in Gaza: Israel’s attack on the militant group, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, and a warning to the leaders of the world
The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, called for an independent investigation and “accountability for the blatant disregard of humanitarian workers.” He also said Israel this week denied him entry to Gaza for a second time.
Cindy McCain, the head of the UN’s World Food Program, said famine was moving its way south of Gaza and that Israel’s efforts to allow in more aid weren’t enough. We have enough food and trucks for about 1 million people for the next three months. We need to get that in.
The cross border attack by Hamas killed more than 1,100 people and took over 250 hostages. Israel says the militant group still holds about 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. Some hostages’ families want a deal to end the war and release their loved ones.
Hours later, Hamas launched rockets from Rafah into Israel, killing four Israeli troops. Israel launched air strikes on Rafah, killing a number of civilians. Air strikes Sunday night into Monday killed at least 26 people in eight homes in Rafah, among them 11 children and eight women, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which said there are still bodies under the rubble not in the death count. Humanitarian aid was entering the southern part of Gaza when Israel closed its border.
In a fiery speech for Israel’s annual Holocaust memorial day, Netanyahu added: “I say to the leaders of the world, no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself.”
Hamas is accused of being involved in the deaths of civilians by Israel. The Israeli military says it has killed 13,000 militants, without providing evidence to back up the claim.
Israel has carried out evacuations in the Gaza Strip by voice messages and leaflets throughout the war, but Palestinians say Israeli orders posted online or dropped in flyers are unclear, indicating numbered block zones with imprecise locations on a general map.
People in Rafah were told to leave for an “expanded humanitarian area” in al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, areas north and northwest of the city. Israel’s military sent out text and voice messages, and posted maps on social media with arrows instructing people where to flee.
“We are not ready to accept a situation in which the Hamas battalions come out of their bunkers, take control of Gaza again, rebuild their military infrastructure, and return to threatening the citizens of Israel,” he said, refusing a deal that demands Israeli troop withdrawal and an end to the war.
“What is the meaning of the agreement if a ceasefire is not its first outcome,” he said, indicating the talks continued to be stuck on key points regarding Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza and whether a ceasefire and release of hostages would lead to a permanent ceasefire or a temporary truce.
The Start of Israel’s Operation in Rafah – Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reveals the conflict between Israel and Hamas
Israel wants to demolish Hamas battalions and that’s why it wants to assault Rafah. Netanyahu said he would enter the southern Gaza area with or without a deal with Hamas.
Qatar, a key mediator, says a Rafah offensive could further complicate the negotiations while Egypt, which borders Rafah, has consistently opposed an assault on the city, fearing mass displacement of Palestinians into its territory.
Briefing journalists on Monday, Israeli military spokesperson, Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, said Israel’s operation in Rafah would be of “limited scope”. But Shoshani would not say whether this meant a broader incursion had begun or would continue at a later stage.
Khan Younis has been mostly destroyed by Israel’s assault there and fighting with Hamas. Unexploded weapons are also found in the area. In the region of al- Mawasi, there is not a lot of access to humanitarian services, such as water, food, and fuel.
The U.S. and the U.N. have in the past weeks tried to discourage Israel from an incursion. Overnight, Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, told U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, in a phone call that “there was no choice left and this meant the start of the Israeli operation in Rafah.”
Israel has said that it’ll not accept a situation in which the Hamas militants come out of their bunkers, take control of Gaza again and rebuild their military infrastructure. “We are not ready to accept a situation in which the Hamas battalions come out of their bunkers, take control of Gaza again…and return to threatening the citizens of Israel,” it added.