Israeli Forces Advance Deeper Into Rafah

Facts

• Israeli forces advanced toward the center of Rafah in southern Gaza on Wednesday after an intense night of bombardment. Residents and militants said tanks moved west, reaching the edge of the eastern Yibna neighborhood, though they have not yet entered the area due to heavy fighting.¹
• Israeli forces also pressed ahead with their advance in Jabalia in the north of the strip, after launching an offensive into the area two weeks ago. Airstrikes were reported across the enclave.¹
• The Israeli military said on Wednesday that its forces had entered Rafah's Brazil and Shaboura neighborhoods after launching a wave of airstrikes on the city. It also said it had sent the Nahal Brigade to the city — making it the fifth to operate in Rafah.²
• Meanwhile, the Pentagon said on Tuesday that none of the aid unloaded from the US-built pier off the coast of northern Gaza has been delivered to the broader Palestinian population. It added that the US, UN, and Israel are working on 'alternative routes.'³
• The Pentagon said aid deliveries would increase, though it's not immediately clear how much of the 569 metric tonnes of aid reportedly donated to Gaza was still waiting to be transported by UN-contracted trucks. The UN has said that Gaza needs at least 500 trucks of aid a day.⁴
• The main UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday that food distribution in Rafah had been suspended due to insecurity and a lack of supplies. It also said that only seven out of its 24 health centers were operational.⁵

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²The Times of Israel, ³CNN, ⁴Arab News and ⁵English.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has gotten out of hand, and the Biden administration will not support any further offensive action in Rafah. Netanyahu must keep his promises and work with US allies to find a resolution to this conflict.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel has reached a decisive point in Gaza. If Israel gives in to international pressure, it will make clear to Israel's enemies that the country is weak and cannot stand up for itself. Such weakness will only encourage another attack like Oct. 7., which is simply unacceptable. Israel must continue to push into Rafah and win this war.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Israel continues to demonstrate that its war is not against Hamas but against the Palestinian people as a whole. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is already far beyond catastrophic, and Israel's brutal offensive on Rafah has displaced almost 1M people — most of whom were already living in tent camps. Israeli crimes keep stacking up, yet the international community and the US refuse to do anything meaningful to stop the carnage.

Predictions