Ceasefire negotiations fail, Israel continues invasion of Rafah
Israel has repeatedly threatened to storm Rafah. Nobody supported the invasion, not even the US.
This article has been translated using AI. See Original .
About AI Translated Article
Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure AI, Open AI, and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us at hotline@kompas.id, and we'll make every effort to address them. Thank you for your understanding.
Smoke rises due to an Israeli military attack on Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, Thursday (9/5/2024).
GAZA, FRIDAY — Israel threatens to continue a major invasion of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, as ceasefire negotiations in Egypt fail. The Israeli government stated that its troops were ready to attack Rafah even if they only used "hooves".
No one supports an invasion of Rafah. The United States, Israel's closest ally, even threatened to stop arms assistance to Israel if Rafah was still invaded. The US stated that an attack on the last refuge of Gazans would jeopardize the ceasefire negotiation process.
The Hamas delegation in talks in Cairo, Egypt on Friday (10/5/2024), stated that the ball is now in Israel's court. Hamas announced that they have received a proposal for a ceasefire, but Israel refused to end the war.
"In practice, the colonizer (Israel) rejected the proposal put forward by the mediators and refused several key issues. Therefore, the ball is truly in their court," stated a message from Hamas to factions in Palestine.
Also read: Israel attacks Rafah, the Middle East becomes increasingly precarious
On Thursday (9/5/2024), the Israeli military attacked the eastern side of Rafah. Life in the area came to a standstill and Rafah became like a ghost town. Israeli fighter jets began attacking several locations in the city since early this week.
Barbed wire surrounds the Palestinian refugee camp in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday (9/4/2024).
A report from the AFP news agency correspondent and residents stated that the attacks occur every 10 minutes. "Every minute you hear the sound of rockets and don't know where the rocket will land," said Tarek Bahlul, a resident of Rafah.
Israel has repeatedly threatened to storm Rafah. More than 1 million refugees crowded into Rafah after being forced to leave their homes in other areas of Gaza due to Israeli attacks. The city is also the main center of humanitarian operations for Gaza residents.
Also read: Rafah Becomes a Ghost Town
So far, the Israeli military has launched limited operations in the east and near the border with Egypt. Israel calls Rafah the last stronghold of Hamas protection. Israel believes that massive attacks are the key to victory if they want to dissolve Hamas.
Residents and medical personnel in Rafah reported that an Israeli air raid destroyed a mosque, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more. "Where should we go? Where is the world that only watches us? Now we are like sheep," said Ahmad Abed, a resident of Rafah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a Holocaust commemoration ceremony at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Sunday (6/5/2024).
The spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told the media, Thursday, that an attack on Rafah was already on their agenda. "We have what we need (to attack Rafah)," he said, as quoted by the Times of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized this. He said that Israel must be independent and have its own stance, and does not need to be dictated by anyone. He reminded that Israel's independence has existed since its military fought 76 years ago.
"If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we have to, we will fight with our nails. But we have more than just nails, and with our collective strength, we will prevail,” said Netanyahu, without referring to the US statement.
Also read: Biden admits US bombs have killed Gaza residents, threatens to stop sending bombs to Israel
The issue of air pollution is not new. The situation of society being threatened by air pollution has been going on for a long time. There is also no shortage of research evidence indicating the threats posed by air pollution. However, this, in fact, has not been able to trigger significant efforts in controlling air pollution. As a result, residents are increasingly suffering, living in the grip of air pollution. US President Joe Biden has threatened to halt the delivery of thousands of bombs to the Israeli military. Biden stated that the delivery of the bombs was stopped because they were being used to kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
"I emphasize that if they (the Israeli military) enter Rafah, I will not supply weapons that have historically been used to confront Rafah's residents," said Biden in an interview with CNN on Wednesday (8/5/2024).
Palestinian residents arrived in central Gaza after fleeing from Rafah, in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, on Thursday (9/5/2024). The Israeli military ordered tens of thousands of people to evacuate from Rafah for a ground assault operation.
The US government reiterated its call for Israel not to launch a full-scale operation in Rafah. "Attacking Rafah, in President (Biden)'s view, will not help Israel achieve its goals," said spokesperson John Kirby.
Attack on the UN
The operational office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian residents, which has been centralized in Jerusalem, was disrupted after Israeli residents burned the office perimeter twice. Philipe Lazzarini, UNRWA's Commissioner-General, stated that the attack posed a threat to the lives of UN staff and forced operational activities to cease.
The attack occurred following the right-wing Israeli government's accusation that the UN body was supplying humanitarian aid to Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups. UNRWA denies this. In a recent independent review report, UNRWA stated that it has provided a complete list of its thousands of staff to Israel every year and there were no objections from Tel Aviv.
Also read: Israel's invasion of Rafah, the Great Wall of Ceasefire in Gaza
Humanitarian aid is urgently needed as the conditions of Gaza's residents become more dire. Humanitarian aid from Jordan is being held up by Israeli residents, causing refuge locations like Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis to have insufficient food supplies. "There is no comfortable place in Gaza," said United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq.
The World Food Program (WFP) reported that their main food warehouse in Rafah cannot be accessed. The only bread store in the city, according to Haq, has also ceased operation.
The issue of air pollution is not a new one. The condition of communities threatened by air pollution has been ongoing for some time. There is no shortage of research evidence indicating the threats posed by the impact of air pollution. However, such evidence has not yet helped to push significant efforts towards controlling air pollution. As a result, residents are increasingly suffering, trapped amidst the air pollution. Camp sites, which serve as homes for Palestinian refugees, were threatened by the Israeli military in Rafah on Tuesday (27/2/2024). The military threatened to invade Rafah to combat the Hamas group.
Hospitals and various medical facilities are almost paralyzed. Haq said that if there is no fuel supply, some hospitals will shut down their generators within three days. "We continue to communicate with all parties so that goods can enter again, including fuel," he said.
Due to Israeli military activities in Rafah, the medical aid group Project HOPE has closed its clinic and suspended its mobile medical aid starting Thursday. "Life in Rafah right now is a nightmare. There are bombings and shootings constantly, almost every 10 minutes. Thousands of people are trapped here with no purpose," said Moses Kondowe, the head of Project HOPE's team in Gaza, in a statement. (AP/AFP/REUTERS)
