Israel Renews Hostilities in Rafah, Southern Gaza Strip
Israel initiates fresh military operation in Rafah, a town in southern Gaza Strip - Israel initiates fresh military operation in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza
In a familiar turn of events, the Israeli military has reignited hostilities in the city of Rafah, along Egypt's border, over a year after a major offensive. Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, via X, declared the neighborhood of Tal al-Sultan a "dangerous combat zone." Evacuation notices were also given out, as confirmed by AFP correspondents in the Gaza Strip.
After a ceasefire that had been in place since January 19th, Israel resumed relentless air strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. Following this action, the Israeli military launched a new ground operation in the Palestinian territory on Wednesday.
According to the Hamas Health Ministry, at least 673 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since Tuesday. The overall death toll since the October 2023 conflict began has reached a staggering 50,021.
During an attack on a tent camp in the southern Gaza Strip's Al-Mawasi, a senior Hamas official met his demise. The organization confirmed Hamas Politburo member Salah al-Bardawil's death on Sunday, along with the loss of his wife in the same attack.
Before the recent attacks, Israel had already impeded aid convoys to the Gaza Strip and curtailed the supply of electricity to the largest seawater desalination plant in the territory at the start of March. This unfortunate development further jeopardized the already critical water supply for the 2.4 million citizens of the Gaza Strip.
Israel aims to intensify pressure on Hamas through its disruption of supplies and military actions, ultimately seeking to secure the release of the remaining 58 hostages that are currently being held in the Gaza Strip by the Islamic Palestinian organization and its allies.
The hostilities in the Gaza Strip were kicked off following a large-scale attack by Hamas and its allies on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 fatalities were reported, according to Israeli sources. Israel then carried out a massive military operation in the Gaza Strip.
A ceasefire has been in effect since January 19th, with the first phase of the agreement mediated by international diplomats concluded on March 1st. Negotiations regarding the second phase of the agreement are still ongoing.
The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will visit Israel and the West Bank on Monday. She plans to urge Israeli and Palestinian representatives to immediately resume full implementation of the agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release, as stated by her office.
Simultaneously, tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia are once again simmering. After rocket fire from Lebanon, Israel launched air strikes on Hezbollah targets in neighboring Lebanon over the weekend, resulting in multiple casualties according to Lebanese media reports.
Meanwhile, Israel's opposition has issued a threat of a general strike over the dispute concerning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impending dismissal of the head of the internal security service, Ronen Bar. Should Netanyahu disregard the Supreme Court's suspension of the decision, "the entire country will to a standstill," asserted opposition leader Jair Lapid to a massive crowd of demonstrators in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening.
Putting it into Context:The Israeli-Hamas conflict is an age-old struggle, characterized by periods of relative peace punctuated by flare-ups of violence. Common triggers for escalation are security concerns at the border, land disputes, and humanitarian issues.
In the recent conflict, Israel has launched offensives in regions such as Rafah and the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks and perceived security threats. In such situations, evacuation orders may be issued to citizens residing near the border. The current status of the conflict remains volatile, with ongoing diplomatic efforts and international pressure playing a role in de-escalation. For up-to-date information, it is advisable to consult credible news sources for the latest developments in the region.
- The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is due to visit Israel and the West Bank on Monday, where she will call upon Israeli and Palestinian representatives to immediately implement the agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release.
- In a similar context, the Israeli military has issued evacuation notices for residents near the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip, as reported by AFP correspondents, after renewing hostilities in the city.
- The recent increase in air strikes and ground operations by Israel has reportedly led to the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the head of the internal security service, sparking a threat of a general strike from Israel's opposition.
