Rafah/Jerusalem, May 7 (EFE).- The Israeli Army said on Tuesday that it had taken control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing by rolling tanks into the Palestinian territory along the border with Egypt after an overnight assault that killed several people.
A military spokesperson said Israeli forces were continuing to monitor the crossing, which had been closed before its Rafah invasion.
However, the spokesperson did not specify the number of ground troops deployed in the area, which is home to nearly 1.5 million displaced Palestinians.
The military emphasized that the operation was “precise and limited,” targeting Hamas militants and their military infrastructure.
According to the spokesperson, the assuming the operational control of the Gazan side of Rafah was carried out by the 401st Brigade, primarily composed of tanks, and the elite Givati Brigade.
The assault followed an alleged attack by Hamas two days prior, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers near the Kerem Shalom border crossing over the weekend.
The military spokesperson stated that a significant portion of the population sought refuge in Al Mawasi, Khan Yunis, which facilitated the operation.
This contradicted a statement by the Hamas government in Gaza on Monday, which claimed that the evacuation order issued by the Israeli Army was receiving only a “limited response” in the targeted areas of eastern Rafah.
Meanwhile, at least 18 Palestinians were reported killed on Tuesday morning in Rafah following a night of relentless bombings by the Israeli Army.
The night of destruction came after the Israeli war cabinet pledged to continue its military operation in southern Gaza while exploring the possibility of a ceasefire with the Islamist Hamas militant group.
The first night of the “Rafah Operation” saw intense airstrikes and artillery fire directed towards the closed Rafah crossing and the southernmost part of the enclave.
According to Palestinian sources, at least six homes were bombed, resulting in the deaths of 18 people, including children and women. There are bodies under the rubble, the sources said.
The Israeli Army claimed that its fighter jets and ground troops killed 20 suspected militants in the eastern area of Rafah and discovered three operational tunnels belonging to Hamas while destroying a vehicle laden with explosives.
The Kerem Shalom crossing remained closed for “security reasons,” with no humanitarian aid entering Gaza since Monday, the military said.
Humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing, a vital supply line for the strip, has also been halted. It was also used by Gazans to seek refuge in Egypt during the last seven months of war.
An official at the Rafah land crossing in the Palestinian enclave told EFE that operations have been ongoing in the entire eastern region of Rafah since Monday, and the bombardment in that area has been relentless.
“Due to direct attacks on the entire area, there are no personnel available, leading to the suspension of both aid delivery and travel services for travelers,” he said. EFE
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