The Israeli Army confirmed this Tuesday that it had taken control of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing with tanks, after a night of intense bombing against the east of this southern town on the border with Egypt.
Israeli forces continue to “scan” the crossing, the Army indicated this morning without specifying the number of ground troops present, although it assured that it is a “precise and limited” operation against Hamas targets.
According to a military spokesman, the seizure of the Gazan side of Rafah was carried out by the 401st brigade – made up mostly of tanks – and the elite Givati brigade, in response to the attack carried out two days ago by Hamas from this area, in which four soldiers died.
At least 18 dead in Rafah bombings
Contrary to the information provided by the Gazan Hamas government, in which it warned that the evacuation order for eastern Rafah was having a “limited response,” the spokesperson assured that a large part of the population was able to seek refuge in Al Mawasi. , Khan Yunis, and this made the operation easier.
However, at least 18 Gazans died this morning in Rafah after a night of constant bombing, after the War Cabinet announced that it would not stop its military “operation” despite the possibility of a truce.
This figure brings the deaths to 34,789 in the 7 months of a war offensive that faces an unknown phase, with Israeli tanks controlling the Gazan part of the Rafah crossing.
For its part, the Army said today it had killed 20 suspected militants in the eastern area with fighter jets and ground troops and dismantled three Hamas operational tunnels and a vehicle with explosives.
“Operation Rafah”
The first night of what Israel calls ‘Operation Rafah’ has been marked by noise and intense fire from helicopters, as media was able to verify.
Artillery bombardments were also reported against areas near the Rafah crossing, which is inoperative, and against the southernmost part of the enclave.
The entry of humanitarian aid through this crossing, vital for supplying the Strip and used by Gazans seeking refuge in Egypt after seven months of war, is also paralyzed, as confirmed by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees ( UNRWA).
Furthermore, the Kerem Shalom crossing remains closed since the Hamas attack for “security reasons.”
The catastrophic hunger faced by the population, especially in northern Gaza, will get much worse if these supply routes are interrupted,” UNRWA denounced in its X account.
BY: Nadeem Faisal Baiga
