Israeli Forces Reach Central Rafah
Witnesses reported on Tuesday that Israeli tanks had reached Al-Awda mosque in central Rafah, with the Israeli military saying that its forces continue to operate in the city. Heavy airstrikes and tank fire were reported in central Rafah overnight....
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Facts
- Witnesses reported on Tuesday that Israeli tanks had reached Al-Awda mosque in central Rafah, with the Israeli military saying that its forces continue to operate in the city. Heavy airstrikes and tank fire were reported in central Rafah overnight.1
- The advance deeper into Rafah comes in spite of international outcry over an Israeli airstrike on Sunday night that hit a tent camp for displaced Palestinians and killed at least 45 people, many of whom burned to death. Tent camps now reportedly stretch over 10 miles (6 mi) along Gaza's coastline.2
- Axios reported on Tuesday that US officials indicated that the Biden admin. is assessing whether Sunday's deadly airstrike crossed the president's red line. A White House National Security Council spokesperson called the incident 'heartbreaking,' adding that 'Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians.'3
- The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it had deployed an additional brigade to Rafah. The military also reported that it expanded its operations in the Netzarim Corridor area in central Gaza.4
- On Monday, an exchange of fire between Egyptian and Israeli soldiers was reported near Rafah killing at least one Egyptian soldier. The situation is still unclear. Egypt and Israel signed a peace deal in the late 1970s, but tensions occasionally flair.5
- Additionally, Spain, Norway, and Ireland formalized on Tuesday their recognition of a Palestinian state after announcing their intentions last week. Israeli officials reacted to the announcement, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz accusing Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of enabling dangerous antisemitic rhetoric.4
Sources: 1Reuters, 2Associated Press, 3Axios, 4Timesofisrael and 5BBC News.
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's red lines are clear. 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. The battle for Rafah is the most important battle of this war. Israeli forces are focusing on the Philadelphi corridor, which straddles the Egyptian border, as this region is crucial in preventing Hamas from rebuilding its terror supply lines into Gaza. Indeed, Israel must continue to push forward in Rafah, as it is the only way to defeat Hamas.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. After over seven months of non-stop brutality, the situation in Gaza continues to worsen. The US has simply failed to reel Netanyahu in, and over 35K Palestinians are dead because of it. Indeed, Israeli attempts to evacuate Rafah have forced almost 1M people into even worse humanitarian conditions. Israeli crimes keep stacking up, yet the international community and the US refuse to do anything meaningful to stop the carnage.
