ISRAEL, Tuesday (7/5), sent tanks into Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, seizing the border between the territory and Egypt, in an action the UN said was blocking access for humanitarian aid.
Israel’s invasion of the eastern area of Rafah, which is filled with civilians, occurred when negotiators and mediators met in Cairo to discuss plans for a ceasefire following the brutal action of the ‘Zionist State’ in the Gaza Strip.
A senior Hamas official, who declined to be named, said the talks meant this was the last chance for Israel to free the 128 hostages they were holding in the Haza Strip, including 36 the Israeli government reported had been killed.
Egyptian news agency Al-Qahera reported that mediators from Qatar, the United States (US) and Egypt were meeting with Hamas representatives.
It was reported that all parties, including Israel, agreed to continue negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said the ‘Zionist State’ delegation was in Cairo.
Washington said it was optimistic that an agreement might be reached between Hamas and Israel.
Also read: 268 Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza
“We will do everything to support this process,” said US national security adviser John Kirby.
While negotiations in Cairo were ongoing, Israel continued to pound the area east of Rafah on Tuesday (7/5) evening.
Netanyahu claimed that in a matter of hours, the Israeli military managed to raise the country’s flag at the Rafah border and lower the Hamas flag.
Also read: Israel Begins to Forcibly Move Gaza Residents in Rafah
Netanyahu said the action was important to shut down Hamas’ path to spreading terror.
UN humanitarian worker Jens Laerke said Israel was now barring them from entering Rafah to distribute aid.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Israel to immediately reopen the border between Rafah and Egypt.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Israel’s action to close the border was unacceptable. (AFP/Z-1)
#Israel #Occupies #Rafah #Border #Area #Egypt
