Israel discusses the expected invasion of Rafah while the war does not let up
The Israeli Defense Cabinet held a confidential meeting on Thursday to discuss plans for an upcoming ground invasion of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The meeting took place amidst a wave of violence that has resulted in 43 new deaths in the region, bringing the total number of fatalities to over 34,300. Government spokesman David Mencer stated during a press conference that the purpose of the meeting was to strategize on how to completely eradicate Hamas in Rafah.
When asked if an announcement regarding the invasion would be made on Thursday, Mencer indicated that discussions were still ongoing and would continue throughout the afternoon. Reports from Israeli media outlet Wala suggest that the meeting also addressed the 133 hostages who remain in the Gaza Strip, as well as the progress of ceasefire negotiations after more than 200 days of offensive operations.
Israeli authorities have consistently claimed that there are still four Hamas battalions in Rafah, a town in the southern part of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized the necessity of invading Rafah not only to eliminate Hamas but also to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
The Israeli military operation in Rafah has faced opposition from much of the international community, including the United States, Israel’s main military ally. Concerns have been raised about the potential loss of civilian lives if the invasion proceeds. The total death toll since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7 now stands at 34,305, with women and children accounting for 75% of the fatalities. Additionally, 77,293 people have been injured during the offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Journalist Mohamed Basam al Yamal from Falestin Alan news agency is among the deceased, having died in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Rafah. His brother, Mahmud, confirmed the tragic incident. Together with Mohamed, seven other individuals lost their lives in the attack. Mahmud, who is also a journalist, revealed that his niece and others who sought refuge in their family home from Khan Younis were among the casualties. He expressed his disappointment and anger at the occupation’s actions, emphasizing that most of the dead were children. The death of Mohamed brings the total number of journalists killed during the Gaza conflict to 141, according to Gazan authorities.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, civil defense teams announced that they have recovered 392 bodies from several mass graves at Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The majority of the bodies have yet to be identified, and twenty of them show signs of being buried alive. The authorities organized a press conference to provide updates on the exhumations. In response to the discovery of the first mass grave in Khan Younis, Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani stated that the grave had been dug by Gazan citizens a month ago and that Israel had no involvement in it. Shoshani also condemned any attempts to blame Israel for burying civilians in mass graves, dismissing it as an unfounded disinformation campaign.
On the other hand, the Israeli Army acknowledged examining bodies buried in the courtyards of Naser Hospital in search of possible dead Israeli hostages. During the siege of the hospital, medical staff and patients were forced to bury some of the deceased within the hospital premises due to the fear of Israeli artillery.