Posted on 05/07/2024 11:33:10 AM PDT by Red Badger
Israeli military vehicles operate on the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the southern Gaza Strip, in a handout image released May 7, 2024, by the Israel Defense Forces. ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS
Jerusalem — An Israeli tank brigade took control Tuesday of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, authorities said, as Israel moved forward with an offensive in the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remain on a knife's edge. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his country in a video address later Tuesday that he had ordered troops "to operate in Rafah" as his government rejected a cease-fire proposal backed by Hamas the previous afternoon.
The tanks moved in around the Rafah checkpoint after hours of whiplash in the Israel-Hamas war, with the militant group saying Monday that it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire proposal. Israel quickly insisted the deal didn't meet its core demands and rejected it, though officials said Israel would continue discussing the proposal.
The high-stakes diplomatic moves and military brinkmanship left a glimmer of hope alive — but only barely — for an accord that could bring at least a pause in the seven-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip.
As for the proposal that brought brief hope of an imminent truce late on Monday, Netanyahu dismissed it in his video message as an attempt by Hamas "to torpedo the entry of our forces into Rafah," which he had repeatedly vowed to order.
The Israeli leader confirmed, however, that his government was still engaged in negotiations for a cease-fire, saying he'd instructed his team to "continue to stand firm on the conditions necessary for the release of our abductees, continue to stand firm on the essential requirements for guaranteeing Israel's security."
Israel takes "operational control" of Rafah crossing The Israeli 401st Brigade entered the Rafah crossing early Tuesday morning, the Israeli military said, taking "operational control" of the crucial crossing. Israel had already fully controlled all of Gaza's border crossings since it launched its war on Hamas seven months ago, but the tanks rolling in on Tuesday marked a significant increase in the Israeli military presence at the Rafah crossing.
Rafah is the primary route for aid entering the besieged enclave and the exit for those able to flee into Egypt.
Video released by the Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday showed tanks flying Israeli flags positioned around the Rafah border gate, with no other activity visible around the border checkpoint.
The Israeli military claimed it seized the crossing after receiving intelligence it was "being used for terrorist purposes." The military didn't provide evidence to immediately support the assertion, though it alleged the area around the crossing had been used to launch a mortar attack that killed four Israeli troops and wounded others near the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, acknowledged Israeli forces had seized the Rafah crossing and had closed the facility for the time being. He said strikes had targeted the area around the crossing since Monday.
The military also confirmed that ground troops and airstrikes had targeted suspected Hamas positions in Rafah on Monday. Palestinian health officials in the Hamas-run enclave said 20 people were killed and several others wounded in strikes that hit at least four houses.
“The Rafah Crossing was and will remain a purely Egyptian-Palestinian crossing,” Hamdan says.
Israel and ham ass are agreed about a cease fire: They’ll agree if the other side accepts defeat.
Let the fighting continue!
There are official and unofficial (terror tunnels) crossings above and below ground between Rafah and Egypt. The Hamas unofficial Rafah terror tunnels were used by the Hamas billionaires in Qatar to smuggle goods and gather even more $$billions$$. In 2014 Egypt announced it was destroying much of the unofficial underground Rafah tunnels because Hamas was causing mayhem in Northern Egypt (Sinai). With Israel controlling the Gaza side of Rafah, and Egypt continuing to control their end, the Hamas billionaires will no doubt complain about it.
For decades the Hamas billionaires have hoarded their $$$ and refused to help with supplies for ‘their people.’ Before Oct 7, Israel was making daily deliveries of MASSIVE amounts of food, water**, and building supplies to Gaza. The islamofascistnazis used the supplies to create their underground terror operation in Gaza. Hamas even dug up underground water pipes to create rockets in order to kill more Jews.
When President Trump returns to the Oval Office, he should immediately move to relocate the United Nations to Gaza. No more limousines, escorts, fine dining, etc. Just place a few large tents on the Gaza coast, and see just who really wants unity.
**water - Israel has mastered and expanded desalination to the extent that they sell clean water to any neighbor country that wants clean water.
Good start!
“...cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remain on a knife’s edge.”
Israel: “No deal. We’ll accept your surrender and the release of all the hostages.”
Hamas: “Heartless war-monger!”
American Useful Idiots: “Stop the genocide! Free, Free, Palestine! In our lifetimes! From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free!”
“left a glimmer of hope alive — but only barely — for an accord that could bring at least a pause in the seven-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip.”
Bullcrap. That’s just a scam. If they can get a “pause” it will be near impossible to start up again. And in the meantime the vermin will resupply, rest, and improve positions.
Stay after them till they surrender or die.
I see beautiful homes & condos with seafront docks, in Israel’s future.
I wonder how many square miles of land they can create by bulldozing building ruble into the Mediterranean?
Kill Hamas.
They should have done this years ago. A permanent garrison.
I don’t know, but the families of every victim of the Oct. 7th massacre should be given 40 acres of it each.
Imagine Israel building something like Dubai's Palm Island off Gaza Beach, but in the shape of the Star of David. Of course this only works if Israel takes back the Gaza Strip and completely eliminates Hamas.
When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. He said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have destroyed them.” Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.” 2 Kings 13:14-19
When you have to go to war, you must fight to win completely.
the Egyptians refused to allow their Gaza countrymen to return to Cairo, by blocking the “border” except
1. for identified terrorist movements and
2. for smuggling of guns rockets and ammo into Gaza district
so it makes perfect sense for Israel to retake control there, indeed there really isn’t any workable alternative even if we were to seek one
Good for BiBi.
find tunnels.
flood tunnels.
kill hamas.
then negotiating may get easier
Thanks be to God ... the God is ISRAEL!!!
Hamas: “We agree to a cease fire as long as we can kill many Jews!” :rolleyes:
Egypt has deployed on the other side of the border effectively sealing it off
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