U.N. officers mentioned Tuesday that Israeli troops had now “choked off” each the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, the 2 essential routes for support getting into Gaza, and the officers warned that the humanitarian disaster within the enclave would worsen.
Egypt’s international ministry on Tuesday mentioned that Israel’s seizure of the Rafah crossing was a “harmful escalation” that threatened the lives of Palestinians sheltering within the metropolis.
Josep Borrell Fontelles, the European Union’s prime diplomat, additionally condemned the Israeli assault.
“The land offensive towards Rafah has began once more, regardless of all of the requests of the worldwide group, the U.S., European Union member states, everyone asking Netanyahu to not assault Rafah,” he advised reporters in Brussels. “I’m afraid that that is going to trigger once more loads of casualties, civilian casualties.”
Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian facet of the Rafah border crossing, mentioned the closure had prevented 46 injured and sick folks from leaving Gaza for medical remedy in Egypt. The sufferers included folks with breast most cancers, lymphoma and different illnesses, the Gaza well being ministry mentioned.
President Biden has urged Mr. Netanyahu to withstand launching a full-scale invasion of Rafah, warning that it could be devastating to Palestinian civilians.
Mr. Kirby, the White Home spokesman, mentioned on Tuesday that Israel had advised the Biden administration that its operation in Rafah was “restricted” and “designed to chop off Hamas’s capacity to smuggle weapons into Gaza.” Mr. Kirby mentioned that the administration nonetheless opposed a full-scale invasion of Rafah.
The Israeli army mentioned its troops had discovered three tunnel shafts in an space close to the Rafah crossing. That declare couldn’t be instantly verified. Israeli and Egyptian officers have mentioned up to now that Gaza’s border with Egypt was a route for smuggling arms into the coastal enclave.
Israel’s protection minister, Yoav Gallant, mentioned he visited troops close to Rafah and that the operation there would proceed till the final Hamas brigade within the metropolis was destroyed “or till the return of the primary hostage to Israel.”
