The Israeli military has confirmed that its forces are currently operating in the central parts of Rafah as part of their ongoing offensive in the southern Gaza city.
Israel initiated its ground assault on May 6, prompting approximately 1 million Palestinians to flee the city and causing chaos for U.N. humanitarian operations in the region. However, the State Department maintains that it does not qualify as a “major operation” in the eyes of U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration.
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In a recent statement, Biden expressed his belief that Hamas is currently unable to launch another major attack on Israel. He called for both the Israelis and Hamas to negotiate a resolution that would secure the release of remaining hostages and establish a long-lasting cease-fire. Biden acknowledged that Israeli officials have proposed a three-phase agreement to Hamas, emphasizing that this deal presents an opportunity for Hamas to demonstrate their sincerity in seeking a cease-fire.
Cease-fire negotiations came to a standstill at the start of the month following extensive efforts by the U.S. and other mediators to reach an agreement. Their aim was to prevent a complete Israeli invasion of Rafah.
The Israeli military stated on Friday that its forces have been operating in various parts of the city. Initially, the Israeli assault concentrated on the eastern districts of Rafah and areas near the border with Egypt. On the first day of the offensive, Israeli troops took control of the Rafah crossing into Egypt and have since asserted their dominance over the Philadelphi Corridor, a road that stretches along the entire Gaza-Egypt border on the Gazan side.
The military announced on Friday that its troops in central Rafah had discovered Hamas rocket launchers and tunnels. Furthermore, they successfully dismantled a weapons storage facility belonging to the group. Although the specific location within central Rafah was not mentioned in the statement, previous reports and eyewitness accounts suggest that the operations occurred in the Shaboura refugee camp and other nearby areas close to the city center.
Israel has emphasized the importance of launching an offensive in Rafah to eradicate Hamas fighters as part of its ongoing military campaign to dismantle the group following their attack on southern Israel on October 7th. The military has discovered numerous tunnels in eastern Rafah, with at least 20 located along the Philadelphi Corridor.
According to Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, it is estimated that approximately 300,000 individuals are still present in the Rafah area, with an unknown number remaining in the city. Many of them have sought refuge in the rural areas along the Mediterranean coastline to the west of the city. Unfortunately, these areas have also been targeted by lethal Israeli airstrikes over the past week.
Many Palestinians who escaped the city are now dispersed throughout southern and central Gaza, with the majority residing in overcrowded and unsanitary tent camps.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s campaign of bombardment and offensives in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 36,170 Palestinians over the past eight months. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel has made a pledge to eradicate Hamas in order to prevent any recurrence of the Oct. 7 attack, during which militants infiltrated southern Israel, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,200 lives and the abduction of around 250 individuals. It is estimated that about 100 hostages are still being held captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of approximately 30 others.
