The Israeli military says it has taken full control of the Rafah crossing, which borders Egypt.
Israeli tanks took over the crossing after advancing during the night following heavy bombardment of residential areas.
The military said the crossing is now disconnected from the Salah a-Din road in eastern Rafah, which was seized before.
Tel Aviv said it would continue the operation in Rafah even after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said it had agreed to a proposal on ceasefire in Gaza put forward by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Earlier, Israeli military aircraft heavily bombed Rafah accompanied with ground advances shortly after Hamas said it had accepted the ceasefire proposal.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa and Egyptian media said Israeli military vehicles advanced towards the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, as well as the Karem Shalom crossing with the Israeli-occupied territories.
A Palestinian security official and an Egyptian authority have told the Associated Press news agency that Israeli tanks have entered Rafah, reaching as close as 200 meters from Rafah’s border crossing with neighboring Egypt.
The Israeli military has said it was conducting “targeted strikes” against Hamas in eastern Rafah.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has also said "Israel is continuing the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas" in order to advance the release of captives and what it called "the other objectives of the war."
In the meantime, it described the proposal on ceasefire as "far from Israel's essential demands," but added that it would send negotiators for talks "to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement."
The military strikes on Rafah came ahead of talks in Egypt on Tuesday aimed at sealing a truce proposal accepted by Hamas, which was put forward by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
According to a copy of the proposal, there will be three phases to ending Israel’s onslaught against Gaza.
The first phase calls for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Netzarim corridor and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes. The second phase involves an announcement of a permanent cessation of military operations. In the last phase, there would be a complete end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In return, Israel would be required to release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners, withdraw its troops from certain regions of the Gaza Strip, and allow Palestinians to travel from the south of the coastal sliver to the north.
About 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah, once designated a “safe zone” by the Israeli military. Palestinians are now struggling to evacuate the city, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets ordering them to leave as a large-scale assault on the city is planned.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that a ground invasion of Rafah would be “intolerable” and called on Israel and Hamas “to go an extra mile” to reach a truce deal.
“This is an opportunity that cannot be missed, and a ground invasion in Rafah would be intolerable because of its devastating humanitarian consequences, and because of its destabilizing impact in the region,” Guterres told reporters on Monday ahead of a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in New York.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has also warned that Israel is “jeopardizing the deal by bombing Rafah.”
Comments
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article.
I'll be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post.
I will definitely comeback.
Stop by my web blog ... piano 88 key keyboard, Carmelo: http://www.exceden.net/comment/html/index.php?page=1&id=53421,
My relatives always say that I am wasting my time here at
web, except I know I am getting knowledge all the time
by reading thes good posts.
Stop by my page :: digital piano keys: http://foro.floressoft.com/entry.php/691-Read-This-Report-Expert-The-Ma…
Everyone loves what you guys are usually up too.
This type of clever work and coverage! Keep up the superb works
guys I've you guys to my own blogroll.
my web page ... best
digital piano reviews: http://www.jingking.com/comment/html/index.php?page=1&id=28777
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in fact used to be a entertainment account it.
Glance complex to far added agreeable from you! By the way,
how can we be in contact?
my website :: best music keyboard reviews (Elisabeth: http://www.inthevendee.com/classifieds/user/profile/1354)
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a entertainment account it.
Glance advanced to more introduced agreeable from you!
By the way, how can we keep in touch?
Feel free to surf to my site best used digital piano - mc.haohong.cn: http://mc.haohong.cn/comment/html/index.php?page=1&id=5156 -
Wonderful post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte
more on this topic? I'd be very grateful if you could elaborate
a little bit further. Kudos!
Feel free to visit my weblog; best buy digital pianos: http://recyclingsurplus.com/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=6…
Wow, that's what I was searching for, what a stuff!
existing here at this web site, thanks admin of this site.
Feel free to visit my homepage :: best digital
pianos under 2000: http://www.exceden.net/comment/html/index.php?page=1&id=53421
I got this web page from my friend who told me concerning this web site and at the moment this time I am browsing this site and reading very informative content at
this time.
Look into my homepage; best digital piano weighted keys: http://www.lhshyxx.com/comment/html//index.php?page=1&id=90736
Thanks a lot for sharing this with all folks you really
realize what you are speaking approximately! Bookmarked.
Kindly additionally consult with my site =). We will have
a hyperlink exchange agreement between us
my website - pianos at best buy (Launa: http://trac.parrot.org/languages/ticket/82869)
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I
acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement
you access consistently fast.
Also visit my web site ... which digital piano
is the best: http://trac.parrot.org/languages/ticket/82869
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, let alone the
content!
Also visit my web site: best weighted keyboards: http://www.numwan.com/shopping/author/laylamagana/
Hi, after reading this amazing article i am also glad to
share my know-how here with colleagues.
My weblog digital pianos best (http://www.keralafilm.com/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=867…: http://www.keralafilm.com/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=867…)
I'm really loving the theme/design of your weblog. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues?
A handful of my blog audience have complained about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera.
Do you have any advice to help fix this issue?
Look into my blog casio digital
piano review: http://www.gsufans.com/tsc/member.php?u=209822-IsmaelGranger96
Hi there, just wanted to mention, I loved this post. It
was helpful. Keep on posting!
Feel free to surf to my homepage: keyboards
for beginning piano players: http://Www.Gsufans.com/tsc/member.php?u=209822-IsmaelGranger96
Add new comment