Israel has been planning the operation against Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip for months. the Jewish state’s closest allies tried to dissuade it from launching the operation. The main reason for this is that more than one million refugees crowded into the area after the population was evacuated from the northern and central sectors by the Israeli army.
It looks like the operation against Rafah started at night, just a few hours after Hamas announced that they would accept Israel’s cease-fire deal. It looks like there is no question of a complete rush: the ithe Israeli army entered the area with roughly one battalion.
The Sound of Israeli Tanks and Helicopters alongside Gunfire and Explosions can be heard in Live Footage from the Egyptian Side of the Rafah Border Crossing, pic.twitter.com/50X2I1si6N
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 6, 2024
The goal is probably to seize the border crossing leading to Egypt: looks like it happened this morning.
Footage from this morning showing a Merkava lV Main Battle Tank of the Israel Defense Force running over a Welcome Sign which says Gaza at the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and Southern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/PG490WrxjD
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 7, 2024
Israel’s goal is to eliminate Hamas: according to the country’s government, this is impossible without the complete occupation of Rafah. This is still the main objective of the invasion of Gaza, so there is a good chance that Rafah will be stormed completely, in several stages.
