Israel likely to curtail Rafah operation plans.
reports suggest that Israel's plan for a massive military operation against Hamas in Rafah, a city along the Egypt-Gaza border, has been put on hold. Instead, they'll be opting for a smaller-scale approach. The United States has reportedly weighed in on this decision, influencing Israel to accommodate some of their concerns.
A senior US government official told the Times of Israel, "It's fair to say that the Israelis have updated their plans. They have taken into account many of the concerns we have expressed." This sentiment was echoed by the Washington Post, which mentioned that Israel had backed down on its plans for a full-scale assault in Rafah following discussions with American authorities.
Initially, Israel aimed to send two divisions into the city to eradicate the last remaining Hamas battalions. However, the Times of Israel relayed that this plan was no longer in the works. According to Israeli leadership, their objective is to destroy Hamas remnants in Rafah, a strategically significant location since it's the only partially intact town amid the blockaded Gaza Strip.
With over 7 months of conflict, Rafah is the only unscathed city in Gaza at the moment.
The US is opposed to Israel's proposed large-scale offensive in Rafah. Israel's military did initiate a ground operation in the city's eastern region about two weeks ago. However, media outlets, including the Times of Israel, suggest the population has decreased significantly since then. It's estimated that approximately 950,000 Palestinians have exited the city. Essentially, approximately 300,000 - 400,000 civilians remain inhabiting the area. Pre-conflict, more than a million internally displaced Palestinians gathered in Rafah from across the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA Temporarily Halts Aid Deliveries
Amidst this situation, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) has halted aid distributions in Rafah. They cited running out of supplies and the volatile security situation as reasons. Egyptian media imply that they're withholding humanitarian aid due to Israel's actions. There have been reports indicating the Rafah border crossing where aid used to enter Gaza is currently closed, with Israeli troops now controlling the Palestinian side.
The Kerem Shalom border crossing has become more significant as a chokepoint for aid shipments to Gaza due to the diminished access through Rafah. However, "Politico" reveals that Egypt has halted all aid transports via this crossing point. Egyptian officials had urged Israel against engaging in a ground offensive in Rafah, fearing the resulting disarray could harm their own security. As a result, aid shipments are now accumulating on the Egyptian side of the border. Apparently, Egypt has vowed not to cooperate in transporting supplies via Rafah until Israeli troops have withdrawn.
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Source: www.ntv.de
