Israel’s military seized control of the Gazan side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt early on Tuesday.
The IDF says it started a precise counter-terrorism operation in the area, after intelligence indicated the Rafah crossing was being used by terrorists.
The IDF released footage of Israeli tanks driving up to the crossing, and said terrorists fired mortars from the area toward a key aid crossing. This came after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers in the area on Sunday. Israel’s military says special forces are handling the crossing, but did not say how long their troops would control it.
Meanwhile, the Hamas terrorist group says it wants to pursue a cease-fire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar. The framework is for 33 hostages to be released in the first of 3 phases. Israel said those terms are far from meeting the requirements it deems necessary, and is sending a delegation to Cairo for talks that mediators say will resume Tuesday.
This comes after Israel ordered evacuations in Eastern Rafah and began striking terrorist targets there on Monday. Israel’s war cabinet says it will continue to exert military pressure on Hamas, and has ordered around 100,000 Palestinian civilians to move to a humanitarian zone with water, food, and medical supplies.
Jonathan Tobin, the editor-in-chief of the Jewish News Syndicate, joined NTD to share his take on the situation—and what it has to do with American politics.
