Israel is getting ready to attack the border city of Rafah in Gaza, as per the latest reports coming from the Middle East. It believes that a total victory over Hamas can’t be achieved without attacking Rafah, where most of the Palestinians have fled, after Israel launched its operations in Gaza after the events of Oct.7.
Countries like Egypt and Qatar are putting pressure on Hamas to agree to release the Israeli hostages and agree to a ceasefire agreement. Egypt shares the border with Rafah, a port city. Any attack in this area will lead to a huge refugee crisis in the region. Palestinians will not have any other way to save their lives, except pouring into Egypt.
Hamas on the other hand has been continuously declaring that any hostage return deal will only happen when Israel stops its operations in Gaza and end the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has completely rejected this condition and right now, the attack on Rafah seems inevitable. Israel’s government is also divided on the issue of attacking Rafah, minister Benny Gantz wants to prioritize the release of more than 100 hostages taken by Hamas, over attacking Rafah.
Other ministers -Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir believe that the complete annihilation of Hamas is important, and Rafah must be attacked to achieve this purpose. Once, the Gaza-Egypt border is secured, Hamas will not be able to smuggle weapons and strengthen itself again.
Whatever happens in next few days, will decide the future of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. A ceasefire is urgently needed as the population of the region is living under immense pressure. On one side, the families of the Israeli hostages with Hamas are living a tense life, Palestinians in Gaza are totally decimated on the other side.
Palestinian President Urges US over Rafah
The President of Palestine, currently in control of the West Bank, urged the US to stop Israel from attacking Rafah in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia. In this city, around 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge from Israeli forces.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said only the United States could stop Israel attacking the border city of Rafah in Gaza, adding that the assault, which he expects within days, could force much of the Palestinian population to flee the enclave https://t.co/sKQof6rGlh pic.twitter.com/h8ZSbtSSrW
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 28, 2024
Hamas has recently released videos of two hostages, and the Israeli government is getting pressurized domestically by the families of the hostages as well as the general public. Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel has been rocked with anti-Netanyahu protests recently, with protestors accusing him of stretching the war to avoid elections in the country.
Scuffles erupted at a Tel Aviv protest as Israelis blocked the main highway, demanding a deal to secure the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Read more: https://t.co/hPSxa4iLxV pic.twitter.com/FjFjoaUvCm
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 28, 2024
The leaders of Hamas are also aware that the international support of Israel’s actions in Gaza is fading way too fast and there is a chance of getting huge concessions in a deal with Israel at this point. Attacking Rafah would trigger a major humanitarian crisis, something even the Western nations supporting Israel will not be able to support.
The US has reportedly urged Israel to not launch any attack on Rafah without a proper humanitarian plan for the Palestinians, currently stranded in Rafah. For the US, the pro-Palestine protests at home are also causing concern. Students at many US universities have come together to protest against Israel’s continuous military actions in Gaza. Many are urging their schools to stop investing in Israeli institutions and other entities they believe profit from the conflict.
Israel has agreed to hear out US concerns before potentially invading Rafah in Gaza, according to White House spokesperson John Kirby. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also going to visit the region next week.
Current Situation in Gaza
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More than 34,000 Palestinian people have lost their lives in the ongoing war in Gaza, as per its Hamas-run Health ministry. A huge chunk of this population consisted of young children. The UN has repeatedly warned of famine in Gaza due to Israel’s restrictions on the humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza. Israel maintains that it is doing so to prevent any weapons from getting into the hands of Hamas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, tensions are mounting as Israel prepares for a potential attack on the border city of Rafah in Gaza. With pressure from various international actors and conflicting opinions within Israel’s government, the situation remains volatile. As the world watches closely, diplomatic efforts and humanitarian concerns will likely shape the outcome of this precarious situation in the days to come.
