TO more than 7 months since the armed conflict began in Gaza Strip, Israel carried out a new attack directed at the Rafah city. The operation occurs after Hamas claimed, last Monday, to have accepted a ceasefire proposal presented by Egypt and Qatar.
Despite the progress, the Israeli authorities They assured that Hamas is “far from the demands” raised by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to achieve a ceasefire. If agreement is reached, It will be the first truce since the week-long break in November 2023.
Israel’s new attack on Hamas
He israeli army bombed the Rafah citylocated south of the Gaza Strip, and is waiting for a possible land incursion. Furthermore, there were also bombings in Gaza Cityin the north, where a hospital announced the death of seven members of a family.
The attack happened despite international warnings and in the midst of peace negotiations in Cairo. On Monday, tens of thousands of Palestinians evacuated the areas east of Rafah and closed the border crossing with Egypt, anticipating the Israeli attack.
Israeli tanks took control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing between Egypt and the city of Rafah. This is one of the main entry points for humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.
United States, the UN and the European Union They urged Israel not to enter Rafah – where they are currently overcrowded 1.4 million Palestiniansespecially displaced people, according to the UN, for fear of a “blood bath“already a worsening of the humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
For its part, Qatar asked the international community on Wednesday to act to avoid a “genocide“. The attack happened in the middle of the resumption of negotiations in the Egyptian capital, which is carried out with the presence of Israeli representatives and of palestinian islamist movementas well as mediators from Qatar, the United States and Egypt.
Peace agreement between Israel and Hamas?
The Palestinian group Hamas assured this Monday have accepted a ceasefire proposal Presented by Egypt and Qatar. Although Israel clarified that it is “far from the demands “posed by the government of Benjamin Netanyahuin any case they will send delegates to negotiate in what could be the first ceasefire agreement since November.
In line with the negotiations, and under pressure from USAits main ally, the Israeli authorities announced this Wednesday the reopening of another border post, that of Kerem Shalom, also located south of the Gaza Strip, which had been closed after a rocket attack on Sunday that killed four soldiers. “Trucks from Egypt with humanitarian aid are arriving at the crossingincluding food, water, shelter materials, medicines and medical equipment provided by the international community,” said a statement from the Israeli army.
In addition, it was also reported that the Erez crossing is also open for the arrival of aid. Despite the advertisements, Juliette Toumaspokesperson for UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, informed AFP that the Kerem Shalom crossing “it was still not open” mid-morning on Wednesday.
The United States considered the closure of these border crossings as “unacceptable“. The administration of Joe Biden had stopped last week shipments of certain weapons to Israel, pressured by pro-Palestinian protests on American university campuses and “concern” about an offensive against Rafah.
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Reuters
Negotiations for the truce will not be easy. The proposal under discussion includes a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced people and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisonerswith the goal of a “permanent ceasefire.”
Despite the rapprochement, both Israel and the Islamist group are inflexible in their positions. For Benjamin NetanyahuIsraeli Prime Minister, are still “far from the demands“which they raise from their side and urged their delegation”stand firm on the conditions necessary for release” of the hostages, in addition to ensuring that “the operation in Rafah“must continue to”exert military pressure on Hamas“.
Israel opposes a complete withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire without first defeating Hamas, which, according to its army, has its last battalions in Rafah.
From the side of Hamas they assured that their movement “insists on the legitimate demands of his people” and what is “the last chance for Netanyahu and for the families“of the hostages”to see his children return“. The war in the Gaza Strip has already been uninterrupted for 7 months, with a balance of more than 34,000 Palestinians killedmostly civilians according to data from the Ministry of Health of the territory governed since 2007 by Hamas and 600 Israeli soldiers killed in combat.
Source: Ambito
