Tanks advance

Israel took control of Rafah border crossing

Destroyed buildings in Rafah on May 7, 2024.(Bild: APA/Associated Press)

Concerns about a military offensive in the Gaza Strip are growing: Israeli forces advanced towards the city of Rafah on Tuesday night and the Kerem Shalom border crossing was shelled, according to Palestinian media reports. The military also took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing. A further meeting of negotiators is due to take place in Cairo on Tuesday. 

Hamas had declared its agreement to a proposed ceasefire on Monday evening. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas' proposal was a far cry from what Israel was demanding. The proposal was no longer the same one that Israel and Egypt had agreed on ten days ago, according to the Israeli side. "All kinds of clauses" had been inserted, reported the television station Channel 12.

Israeli tanks during the conquest of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing.(Bild: APA/AFP)

Offensive intended to increase pressure on Hamas
A Hamas representative had explained that the agreed proposal envisaged a three-stage ceasefire with the aim of achieving a permanent ceasefire. The Israeli war cabinet decided in the evening to continue the military operation in the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip in order to increase the military pressure on Hamas and enforce Israel's war aims, Netanyahu's office announced.

A further meeting of negotiators is due to take place on Tuesday in the Egyptian capital Cairo in order to facilitate a ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as the Gulf emirate of Qatar announced in the night. Qatar, Egypt and the USA are acting as mediators between Hamas and Israel, who do not conduct direct negotiations with each other as a matter of principle.

Another border crossing shelled
The Kerem Shalom border crossing - the most important for the delivery of aid from Israel to the Gaza Strip - was shelled from a distance of 200 meters by tanks and artillery, according to Palestinian media reports. Several houses were destroyed and there was also talk of casualties, although there was initially no independent confirmation of this.

A destroyed building in Rafah(Bild: APA/Associated Press)

The military wing of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas had claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on the Israeli border crossing Kerem Shalom on Sunday. Israeli troops were the target, according to the announcement by the Qassam Brigades. According to the Israeli army, three soldiers were killed and twelve others injured in the attack.

Insider: First phase of offensive
The news portal "Axios" reported, citing Israeli government officials, that the deployment of tanks and ground units east of Rafah was to be understood as the first phase of the offensive. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the parties to the conflict to do everything in their power to finally reach an agreement. "A ground offensive in Rafah would be unacceptable due to the devastating humanitarian consequences and the destabilizing effects on the region." Following a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II in Washington, US President Joe Biden also appealed for the release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid. 

With the military operation in Rafah, Israel wants to smash the remaining battalions of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, which it has been fighting in Gaza since October. The Hamas leadership and hostages are believed to be in the city. The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre with more than 1,200 dead carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7. In addition, around 250 hostages were taken to the Gaza Strip.