Israel to intensify attack on Rafah area.
The Israeli army continues to escalate its land operations in Rafah, as Defence Minister Galant announces more soldiers will be sent to battle the remaining Hamas units. Simultaneously, Israel and Egypt are pointing fingers at each other.
Joav Galant, Israel's Defence Minister, declared that reinforcements will be sent to the ground operation in Rafah. His office revealed Galant's statement during a visit to the southern Gaza border stating, "More troops will join the ongoing operation in Rafah." The United Nations estimates that around 600,000 residents have escaped the city at the border with Egypt. So far, the operation has targeted hundreds of locations and destroyed numerous tunnels, as Galant mentioned. "This activity will increase as our forces continue to maneuver in the area."
For almost ten days, Israel has been deploying targeted ground operations and aerial bombardments in Rafah, targeting the final battalions of the radical Islamic group Hamas. Galant asserted, "Hamas lacks the capability to reorganize, it possesses no reserve forces nor supply reserves, it is incapable of confronting the terrorists we are eliminating. The outcome is that they are losing ground."
Ten days ago, Israel moved toward Rafah, disregarding international warnings. Since then, it has taken control over the Palestinian side of the Gaza border crossing to Egypt. Israel and Egypt trade accusations over who's responsible for closing the crucial border crossing, which has previously been closed, obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. At Rafah, there were about 1.4 million people; many had fled mounting conflict in the north of the Gaza Strip to the south.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz argued, "We must persuade Egypt to reopen the Rafah border crossing to facilitate the transportation of international aid to Gaza." In a tweet, Katz conveyed, "The world condemns Israel for the humanitarian situation, but the key to preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is now in the hands of our Egyptian friends." Egypt will not be permitted to regain control of the crossings.
Egypt Blames Israel for Humanitarian Disaster
Egypt's Foreign Minister Samih Shukri spoke out against Israel, accusing it of "twisting the facts" and avoiding responsibility. "Israel alone bears the responsibility for the humanitarian disaster Palestinians are currently experiencing in the Gaza Strip," said Shukri. He denounced Israel's "desperate attempts" to pin the blame on Egypt.
OCHA, the UN emergency aid office, stated that distributing aid within the Gaza Strip is "almost impossible" due to fuel shortages, disturbed communication services, and ongoing combat. This is taking a horrific toll on the estimated 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip. Israel insists that it's making continuous efforts to enable the delivery of aid to the civilian population. However, the Rafah crossing in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, as well as the Kerem Shalom crossing, remain operational, albeit subject to frequent Hamas shelling.
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- Despite the ongoing tensions between Israel and Egypt over the Rafah border crossing, United Nations officials are urging both countries to prioritize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which has been severely affected by the recent conflicts involving Hamas.
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the ongoing operation in Rafah, has led to the displacement of many Egyptian border residents, as utility programs struggle to meet the increased demand for electricity and water due to the influx of refugees.
- The United Nations Security Council has expressed concern over the escalation of wars and conflicts in the Middle East, including the Israel-Gaza crisis, and has called on all parties, including Egypt, to respect international law and make humanitarian considerations a priority.
Source: www.ntv.de
