Israeli armed forces advance deeper into Rafah.
Internationally, Israel faces strong criticism for its operation in Rafah. This includes potential sanctions from the US President as he threatens to limit weapons shipments. Despite this, the military plans to progress further in the southern region of the Gaza Strip. Concurrently, the army chief laments the absence of a diplomatic response.
The Israeli army claims that its operations against Hamas in Rafah are restricted to strategic moves, technical adjustments, and acquiring strategic advantages. The military operations also targeted areas in central and northern Gaza, such as Zeitun in Gaza City and Jabaliya. Recently, Hamas has been seen making attempts to reposition itself militarily in these locations, according to Hagari. Palestinian residents reported significant air strikes and casualties.
The military had previously requested civilians to evacuate Rafah, as well as Jabaliya and other regions. The offensive by Israel began with the deployment of forces east of Rafah earlier this week. "Since then, many militants have been eliminated," Hagari stated, "underground tunnels have been discovered, and large stocks of weapons have been seized." The Israeli military existence in the coastal zone bordering Egypt is quite controversial.
The density of the population in the region is especially high, with more than a million people who fled from other parts of the Gaza Strip. Aid agencies worry that an escalation of the Israeli operations could expose hundreds of thousands of civilians to the crossfire. There are concerns that the supply situation could break down completely.
Hostilities between Israel and Palestine have escalated, with the US, Israel's primary ally, urging caution. Recently, President Joe Biden even threatened to halt arms delivery to Israel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also voiced concern, calling an expansion of the operation "irresponsible" during an event in Potsdam. Israel claims the army is combating the last Hamas battalions in Rafah and dismantling the suspected smuggling tunnels located near the border with Egypt. Hagari emphasized that the operation was designed to achieve a decisive victory over Hamas and recover all hostages.
Meanwhile, Israel's army chief, Herzi Halevi, expressed dissatisfaction with the political leadership in the war. Reports claim Halevi criticized the lack of a post-war strategy in security discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Halevi contended that, due to the absence of a political strategy to create a non-Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, soldiers would continue to engage in more battles in locations like Jabaliya, even though the army had previously left these areas. "It will be a never-ending struggle."
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The international community is critically analyzing Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, as the Israeli military continues its advancement into Rafah, which is part of the Gaza Strip. Despite this ongoing Israel war, there are concerns about potential escalations and the impact on civilians, especially given the high population density in the region.
Source: www.ntv.de
