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The Battle for Rafah
Is it a battle for the future of the Israel-United States relationship?
“Israeli Troops Enter Rafah as Fighter Jets Pound Terror Infrastructure,” reported a major Israeli news outlet this week. “IDF forces are now attacking and operating against the targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in a targeted manner in eastern Rafah.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said the the invasion of Rafah is ‘in order to apply military pressure on Hamas, with the goal of making progress on freeing the hostages and the other war aims,’ and that Hamas’s latest truce offer is ‘far from Israel’s obligatory demands.’” added the TOI staff.
Israel’s push into Hamas-controlled territory came just as Hamas leadership appeared to accept a cease-fire deal brokered by Egypt and to which Israel had previously agreed.
The push was not to be deterred by tricks, however. The “terms” under which Hamas had agreed at the last minute weren’t the ones offered.
“Hamas claims to accept ceasefire, hostage deal; Israel: This isn’t what we agreed to,” Lazar Berman and Jacob Magid explained for the Times of Israel on Monday. “Gazans celebrate in streets; families of hostages plead for deal; US studying response; war cabinet says negotiators will meet mediators, but orders IDF to push ahead with Rafah op.”