Conflict in Gaza - Israel declares authority over its border with Egypt.
Israel's armed forces have reportedly secured control of the entire border region with Egypt in the disputed Gaza Strip, achieving a significant milestone of their controversial Operation Rafah. According to army spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the area was previously used by the Islamist group Hamas for weapons smuggling. It is estimated that there are around 20 tunnels connecting the two countries in the 14-kilometer stretch.
Reports of these tunnels along the Egyptian border have been denied by the Egyptian state-controlled television channel Al-Kahira News, which cited an unidentified senior source. Egypt had flooded some of the tunnels in the past due to concerns about weapons being smuggled to extremists in the Sinai Peninsula, and Israeli officials said they had informed Egypt of the newly discovered underground passages. However, a senior Egyptian official denied this to the Wall Street Journal. The latest Israeli advance could potentially provoke further tensions between the two countries.
Early in May, Israeli troops infiltrated parts of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, seizing control of the only border crossing leading from Gaza to Egypt.
US: Israeli Army Treads Cautiously
The Israeli military's focus has been primarily on establishing control over the border area with Egypt as it is less populated compared to other parts of Rafah. The United States has repeatedly warned Israel about the potential dangers of deploying troops in densely-populated urban areas, but there have been no signs of a large-scale ground invasion by the ally in those areas. John Kirby, Communications Director of the National Security Council of the United States, commented, "I can't confirm whether they have taken over the [Philadelphi] Corridor or not, but I can tell you that their movements along the Corridor were not surprising to us and were in line with their plan to target and contain Hamas."
Israel had essentially lost control of the Philadelphi Corridor in 2005 when they withdrew from the Gaza Strip. It was subsequently used by Hamas until they seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in March that demilitarizing the Gaza Strip necessitated regaining control of the corridor. Hagari reported that Israeli troops had encountered not only tunnels but also multiple rocket launchers belonging to Hamas in the area.
A few days prior, Israeli media claimed that Israeli soldiers had taken over the majority of the Philadelphi Corridor, complete with 82 tunnel entrances. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) purportedly demolished a 1.5-kilometer-long tunnel system operated by Hamas near Rafah. The entrance was situated about 100 meters from the border crossing into Egypt. According to Hagari, the tunnels contained weaponry, rockets, explosives, as well as multiple rooms and bathrooms.
Hamas still maintains a presence in Rafah and has even taken hostages there. As a result, the army will continue to press their offensive in the city. Three Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed by a landmine explosion in Rafah the day before. Since the conflict began on October 7, 2001, the IDF has reportedly suffered 639 casualties, while the Hamas-controlled health authority reports over 36,100 deaths on the Palestinian side, with no distinction made between civilians and combatants.
The IDF has maintained a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor since 2005. It is unclear how long the conflict will last, with Israel's National Security Advisor expecting it to continue for at least another seven months.
Human Rights Activists: Israeli Army Responsible for Deaths in Syria
Concurrently, human rights activists claimed that two Israeli attacks in northwestern Syria resulted in the deaths of a child and three members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an Israeli rocket and a Syrian defense rocket caused twin explosions in the port city of Banias. An attack on a military base near Homs was also reported. The killed members of the Hezbollah were described as Syrian nationals. The Israeli military has stated they will investigate these claims.
Israel has been conducting airstrikes on targets in Syria for a while. Their goal is to stop Iran and its militia allies from expanding their military presence in the neighboring nation. Iran has been a close ally of Syria for a long time. Since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, Israel's bombings (which are often not publicly acknowledged) have grown more frequent. [Note: This piece discusses the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as alleged Israeli attacks on targets in Syria. The article highlights the capture of a significant portion of the Philadelphi Corridor, a border region between Gaza and Egypt, and the destruction of a Hamas tunnel network near Rafah. It also mentions the deaths of three Israeli soldiers in Rafah due to a landmine detonation. Additionally, the article mentions alleged Israeli attacks in Syria, resulting in the deaths of a child and three Hezbollah militia members. Israel's military has not verified these incidents.]
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- The Egyptian government has disputed Israel's claims of discovering tunnels along the border with Gaza, with a senior official denying this to the Wall Street Journal.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, stated in March that regaining control of the Philadelphi Corridor was necessary for demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.
- The United States has expressed concern about Israeli troops deploying in densely-populated urban areas, but there have been no signs of a large-scale ground invasion by Israel.
- Hamas still maintains a presence in Rafah and has even taken hostages there, prompting the Israeli army to continue its offensive in the city.
- Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, reported that Israeli troops had encountered not only tunnels but also multiple rocket launchers belonging to Hamas in the area.
- The USA has repeatedly warned Israel about the potential dangers of deploying troops in densely-populated urban areas, but Israel, under Netanyahu's leadership, has pursued its operation, with the support of the WSJ and the American government, to gain control over the Philadelphi Corridor and secure its border with Egypt, aiming to prevent the smuggling of weapons and militants into Gaza through tunnels.
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