Israeli military aircraft have heavily bombed the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip accompanied with ground advances shortly after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said it had agreed to a proposal on ceasefire in Gaza.
A Palestinian journalist reported flares in the night sky, while locals said dozens of reconnaissance drones flew overhead.
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
Masha Allah
Congratulatuions Sister Fathima all the very best for your future.
Mabrook Fathima Keep it up
Mash Allah , Great Job Done By Fathima and one of the toughest Job on earth is Indian CA, Great Fathima you made Muslim Community Proud .
Masha Allaha,,, Good Achivement.. keep it up.. sis.
I think he is talking about His own Party.
KESARU = RSS, KAMALA = BJP
Great achievements fathima hamza congratulations, let fulfill your future studying dream Masha allah.
Sudhar Javo Naren. Dont waste your valuable life. Be clean minded and clean hearted. Pray for your right guidance from Almighty God.
Ma Sha Allah Sister.. May Allah bless you in all your future steps..
Frustated person is disliking all comments. :D Sudhaar jaao yaar abhi bhi bahuth waqt hey
Congratulations fatima .may Allah bless you in good health and knowledge
kesarinalli kamala...
Masha Allah alf mabrook. Excellent performance.keep it up
Fathima ,you made your parents ,family and our community proud.
you made us BWF very proud, and myself and on behalf of BWF congratulations for your bright future. Let All your hopes and dreams be fulfilled
Masha Allha.. congratulations..
ALHAMDULILLAH. ALF MABROOK AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MS.FATHIMA HAMZA, & HER PARENTS MR.HAMZA ABDUL KHADER & MRS.ZAINAB MUMTAZ & THE WHOLE FAMILY., WHO ARE CLOSELY KNOWN TO ME AND MY FAMILY. IT IS A VERY GLAD NEWS TO HERE ABOUT THIS GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF PASSING OUT HER CA EXAM IN FIRST ATTEMPT, MASHA ALLAH. IT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT HERE ABOUT HER DEDICATION, COMMITTMENT, HARDWORK & FOCUS ON THE SUBJECT, WHICH GAVE HER SUCCESSFUL RESULT. OFCOURSE, PROPER GUIDANCE AND UPBRINGING BY HER PARENTS. MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH BLESS HER & HER PARENTS & FAMILY WITH HIS MERCIFUL AND BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS AND ALSO A SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL FUTURE FOR HER, AAMEEN.
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