According to an official of the Israel Defense Forces it had “operational control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing.”
The report followed a series of “targeted strikes” by IDF against Hamas in eastern Rafah.
Though Hamas agreed to a truce proposal drawn up by Egyptian mediators, Israel said it did not agree with the deal as it was “far from meeting” its “core demands” and instead launched a ground incursion into eastern Rafah.
Though the condition of the deal that Hamas agreed to is not clear, it is assumed to include the release of hostages and the return of displaced Palestinians within Gaza.
The UN has warned that Rafah’s closure means the two major aid arteries for Gaza will be currently “choked off.”
Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on Tuesday morning made a call to prevent further deaths and destruction after seven months of war.
“I reiterate my call to both parties to show political courage and spare no effort to secure an agreement now to stop the bloodshed, to free the hostages, and to help stabilize the region, which is still at risk of explosion,” he said in a video address.
“This is a crucial opportunity that the region – and indeed the world – cannot miss,” Guterres said of the peace talks. “I’m disturbed and distressed by the renewed military activity in Rafah.”
Since the war began on 7 October following the killing of about 1,200 people and seizing of 252 hostages, more than 34,700 people have been killed in Gaza according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
