Operation Iron Swords - Day 213 - 06 May 2024

“At any point, Hamas could have ended this burgeoning tragedy to
surrender and release every hostage. …
Hamas instigated and owns this humanitarian catastrophe.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)

Contents

UPDATED - True Promise IR-IL NEW - War Termination NEW - Operations NEW - Operations - Gaza NEW - Operations - Judea-Samaria NEW - Operations - Lebanon NEW - Operations - Syria / Iraq NEW - Operations - Yemen UPDATED - Operations Maps NEW - By-Standers NEW - Axis of Resistance NEW - Allied for Democracy UPDATED - By the Numbers

Palestinian youth and children took to the streets in several areas of the Gaza Strip from north to south, rejoicing at the news of Hamas’ approval of the ceasefire proposal. The people of Gaza are celebrating, and if Israel disagrees and insists on attacking #Rafah, Hamas will not be blamed by the Palestinian people and will gain more support than ever.

An Israeli official said that Hamas's announcement "seems to be a hoax to portray Israel as the party that rejects the agreement." The Israeli official added that the proposal includes major concessions that Israel cannot accept. Any deal that includes a complete ceasefire means Israeli defeat, while any deal that does not stipulate this means surrender on the part of Hamas, which will commit to handing over the prisoners and then Israel will resume the war against it.

An American official said on Monday that the United States is concerned about the latest Israeli strikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, but believes that they do not represent a major military operation. The official added, according to what Reuters reported, that American officials are focusing on preventing a major military operation in the densely populated areas of Rafah, noting that "the Israelis do not seem to be implementing that."

The Prime Minister's Office statement said, "The war government unanimously decided that Israel would continue the operation in Rafah to put military pressure on Hamas in order to move forward with the release of our hostages and achieve the rest of the war's goals." A source in the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) told Al-Hurra TV on Monday that “any step that can lead to a permanent ceasefire and end the war is welcome,” in the first American comment on Hamas’ acceptance of the ceasefire proposal in Gaza.

War Termination

The British newspaper " Financial Times " reported that Arab countries have begun to support the idea of establishing a multinational peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as part of their attempt to develop a workable plan for the post-war period. An Arab diplomat told the newspaper, without revealing his identity, that reservations in some capitals had declined in recent weeks, raising the possibility of Arab participation as countries sought to show their “commitment to the peace process.”

"We know that Israel has security concerns about (the Palestinian state); so this means 'we are ready to help,'" the diplomat said. Despite the increasing openness to such an idea, it is still unclear which countries would be willing to participate, according to the same newspaper. An Arab official, whose identity was not revealed by the Financial Times, indicated that it is an initiative supported by Egypt and that other regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar, are countries that were opposed to the deployment of Arab peacekeeping forces in the Palestinian territories, according to the newspaper.

Another Arab diplomat said that any force must be approved by the United Nations Security Council and deployed for a temporary period to give the Palestinian authorities time to develop their security forces. Arab officials had previously said that they would not support the entry of an international or regional force into Gaza, stressing that the sector must be under Palestinian administration. Many Arab capitals were concerned about involvement in entering the region.

Last March, the American magazine “Politico” revealed in a report that officials from the administration of US President Joe Biden were holding preliminary “talks” regarding options for achieving stability in Gaza after the war, including a proposal that the Pentagon help fund a “multinational force.” Or a Palestinian peacekeeping team. The magazine reported at the time that the options being considered “will not include American forces on the ground,” and instead, US Department of Defense funding will go toward “the needs of the security forces, and complement the assistance provided by other countries.”

According to details of the idea published by the Financial Times, the draft proposal, which was transferred to the United States, is among multiple options being discussed at a time when Arab and Western countries are struggling to pave the way towards regional stability and the establishment of a Palestinian state. The idea was raised when US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with his Arab counterparts in Cairo last March, according to the newspaper.

The Arab countries have been trying for months to formulate a broad "vision" to address the crisis sparked by the Hamas attack on October 7 and the attack launched by Israel after that on Gaza, which is still continuing. The main demand of Arab actors will be that the West and Israel take “irreversible” steps towards a two-state solution to end the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They also want the United States and other Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state and support its full membership in the United Nations, arguing that this should be part of the process, not an outcome.

The rapid military developments on the ground come hours before new talks that are supposed to be held in Cairo to try to conclude a truce agreement in which representatives of the mediating countries, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, will participate, in addition to two Israeli and Hamas delegations. A senior Israeli official said on Tuesday that a medium-level Israeli delegation will head to Egypt in the coming hours to assess the possibility of convincing Hamas to change its position regarding its latest ceasefire offer.

The official confirmed in statements to Reuters that the current offer presented by Hamas is “unacceptable” to Israel. He added: "The delegation is composed of mid-level envoys. If a real agreement can be reached in the near future, senior officials will head the delegation," referring to senior officials from the Israeli intelligence service (Mossad) and the internal security service (Shin Bet). The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement to The Times of Israel that the Israeli negotiating delegation has already arrived in Cairo to hold further talks on the hostage deal with Hamas. Earlier, Tuesday, Doha announced sending a Qatari delegation to Cairo to resume the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas through joint Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation.

Israeli political analyst Eddie Cohen points out that there is no “contradiction” between occupying the Rafah crossing and participating in negotiations to release the kidnapped people. And controlling the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing to “prevent weapons smuggling, control the Philadelphia axis, and eliminate members of the Hamas movement,” but the negotiations aim to “release the kidnapped people,” according to what he told the “Al-Hurra” website. Israel has “passed the negotiation stage,” and negotiations with Hamas cannot be accepted, because the movement is “evasive and procrastinating,” and therefore “there is no hope of achieving anything through negotiations,” and the solution is only “to use military force,” according to Cohen.

But Adel al-Ghoul, the Palestinian political analyst and head of the European Council for International Relations and Consultations based in Paris, sees the Israeli military moves as “an attempt to pressure Hamas to make concessions.” Hamas "showed high flexibility" and gave its "written" approval to the "Egyptian-Qatari paper" for a ceasefire and reaching an agreement formula, but the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants a "military solution," according to his talk to the "Al-Hurra" website. Al-Ghoul points out that "Israel wants to postpone the negotiations and not reach an agreement to give more time to continue the military operation in eastern Rafah and control the Palestinian side of the border crossing, then move to another area of the city."

Israel is seeking to increase "pressure" on Hamas, hours before the start of new talks, Tuesday, in Cairo regarding a truce in the Gaza Strip. The advisor to the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Imad Gad, points out that “the military escalation aims to improve the conditions for negotiation at the negotiating table.” The Israeli military operation in Rafah will continue until “Hamas responds to the majority of Israel’s demands during the negotiations,” and the fundamental Israeli demand is “to reach a formula that guarantees that Hamas does not control the Gaza Strip” until a “ceasefire” is achieved, according to his interview with the Al-Hurra website. If Hamas agrees during the negotiations to “the departure of its senior military structure outside the Gaza Strip for a temporary period,” military operations will be halted, but if this does not happen, the “military solution” will have the upper hand, according to Gad.

For his part, Qatari political analyst, Abdullah Al-Wathin, believes that Israeli control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing aims to “save face and achieve media gain in conjunction with the trend toward approving the deal.” This control is an "Israeli media show that will end within hours," but the political settlement will have the "supreme say" in the end, according to his interview with the Al-Hurra website. Al-Watheen stresses that "negotiation" is the only solution to the crisis in the city of Rafah.

The Biden administration sent a message to Israel that the Hamas proposal is a counter-proposal in the negotiations, and that it should be viewed as such. Both yesterday and today, a series of tense talks were held between Israeli and American officials, in which the Israelis asked them not to publicly support the Hamas proposal. In Israel they said that Hamas' proposal was a deception, but they went to the negotiations in Cairo anyway. the burden on Israel or rather a proposal that makes it possible to create paths for agreements.

The signs are not encouraging, and among those familiar with the details there is no optimism. Against the background of the acceptance of the proposal, voices in the War Cabinet align themselves with the US and say: even if the proposal is manipulative or far-fetched, it can be seen as a basis for some kind of progress and there is no need to settle for a passive position. Still, there is a majority in the War Cabinet who believes that the Hamas proposal is illusory,

The White House stated that the Kerem Shalom crossing will be opened tomorrow, and this after the crossing was open this morning, and after, according to the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to the opening of the crossing for humanitarian aid.

“We know this is a phased plan. We know it’s based on an exchange of captives and prisoners as part of a ceasefire, followed by part two, including another exchange. Phase three is going to be more about the reconstruction [of Gaza],” Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said. “Hamas has been insisting until yesterday evening that it will accept a deal if there is a strong guarantee, particularly from the Americans and the mediators that there is going to be a permanent ceasefire.” Alhelbarra said it is still unclear which terms Hamas has agreed to or whether Israel will follow suit. “I think we have to give it the upcoming hours to understand exactly what Hamas means. Does it mean that they got strong guarantees from the mediators – Qatar particularly, and the Egyptians – that as soon as they say yes, during the three phases of the agreement, there will be no breach of the ceasefire? We don’t know yet.”

Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, said during an interview with Al-Jazeera that the ball is now in the court of the Israeli occupation, and the movement is waiting for its response, but it has not been informed of a specific date for that. Al-Hayya explained that on the first day of the first phase of the agreement, there is a clear commitment to temporarily stop military operations and the withdrawal of the occupation army to areas adjacent to the border inside the Gaza Strip. Al-Hayya confirmed that Hamas had thus achieved the goals of a ceasefire, the return of the displaced, relief, and a serious exchange deal, noting that the movement made the concession to open the door to “stopping the crazy war.”

Israel said its war cabinet had approved continuing a military operation in the city. “The war cabinet unanimously decided that Israel continue the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas in order to advance the release of our hostages and the other goals of the war,” Netanyahu’s office said.

Sources told Al Jazeera that the proposal includes 3 stages, each of which lasts 42 days. This includes the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Netzarim axis in the first phase and allowing the freedom of return of the displaced. In the second stage, the occupation forces are supposed to withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip. The sources added that the proposal includes agreeing to end the siege on Gaza in the third phase.

First stage - 42 days

• indirect negotiations through mediators would resume on the exchange of captives and prisoners. Hamas will release 33 abductees, alive or dead: women (civilians and soldiers), children (up to the age of 19), adults (over the age of 50), sick and wounded.
• Release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every civilian abducted according to seniority. The release of 50 Palestinian prisoners for each female soldier (30 were sentenced to life imprisonment and 20 were sentenced to a maximum of 10 years, based on Hamas lists).
• For each kidnapped female soldier, 50 terrorists will be released: 30 life prisoners and 20 heavy prisoners
• Each week three hostages will be released for the first five weeks of the 6-Week Ceasefire, with Hamas holding the last 15 Hostages until the Final Week and once Israel has followed through with the Release of over 800 Palestinians from Prisons across the country. "if the number of living Israeli abductees does not reach 33, the number will be completed with bodies from the same categories of this phase"
• On the 22nd, all Shalit deal prisoners who were re-arrested will be released.
• Avoiding the arrest of released Palestinian prisoners on the same charges for which they were previously arrested.
• Temporary ceasefire
• No drones over Gaza for 8 hours
• The cessation of military flights and patrols (for intelligence purposes) in the Gaza Strip for 10 hours a day, and for 12 hours on the days of the release of hostages.
• On the third day (after the release of 3 hostages), the IDF forces will completely withdraw from Rashid Street east to Saladin Street and the return of the displaced will begin, including freedom of movement for the residents in the entire Gaza Strip.
• Israel will withdraw from the Netsareem corridor, the Kuwait roundabout and all towns up to the Gaza border.
• Withdrawal of IDF forces from densely populated areas and the center of the Gaza Strip - Netzer axis
• After 22 days, Israel will withdraw from Al-Rasheed Street and between the north and south.
• After the 22nd day, all refugees will return to the north.
• unhindered flow of aid and fuel into Gaza. Throughout the days of the agreement - 600 trucks per day will be brought in, of which 50 will be fuel trucks - of which 300 will go to the north of the Gaza Strip.
• The beginning of the total rehabilitation of the houses, civil facilities and civil infrastructures that were destroyed in the war and the introduction of the necessary equipment for civil defense and the evacuation of the ruins.
• Facilitating the introduction of supplies and equipment needed to establish shelter camps to accommodate displaced persons who lost their homes during the war (at least 60 thousand caravans and 200 thousand tents).
• Removing the measures and punishments taken against the prisoners and detainees in the Israeli prison since October 7 and improving their conditions.
• Starting on the 1st day of this phase, wounded terrorists (no less than 50) will be allowed to leave through the Rafah crossing for medical treatment.
• UN, the US and the Gulf States will draw up plans for the reconstruction of Gaza.
• Egypt, Qatar and the US President are the guarantors of the agreement.

Second stage - 42 days

• from the 16th day of the first phase negotiations will begin for the second phase
• Exchange of bodies of abductees and prisoners between the two sides.
• Beginning of the implementation of the rehabilitation plan that will last 3-5 years in the Gaza Strip.
• Total withdrawal from Gaza, including from the "buffer zone": outside the borders of Gaza.
• a "lasting silence" / "sustainable calm" [full ceasefire] will be announced, cessation of hostilities - The proposal does not use the word “ceasefire” but “the permanent halt to Israeli military operations and hostilities in Gaza.”

third stage - 42 days

• The restoration of the Gaza Strip under the supervision of Qatar, Egypt and the UN
• Approving an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the proposed deal did not meet Israel’s demands and it would send a delegation to meet with negotiators. “Although the Hamas proposal is far from Israel’s necessary requirements, Israel will send a working delegation to the mediators to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement under conditions acceptable to Israel,” it said in a post on X.

US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington will “withhold judgement” on Hamas’s announcement until it has time to fully review it. “I can confirm that Hamas has issued a response. We are reviewing that response now and discussing it with our partners in the region,” he said. “It’s something that is a top priority for everyone in this administration from the president on down,” Miller said.

Researcher in political and strategic affairs, Saeed Ziad, says that the head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Al-Sinwar, wants a deal that will lead to the end of the war, “but Netanyahu wants an interest-free loan, as if he wants charity, and Al-Sinwar does not give gifts and charity, but rather puts pressure to take away the rights of the Palestinians.” According to Ziad, the prisoners’ card is the password in this war, and that Hamas has succeeded in playing on its nerves inside Israel, despite the cohesion that its society demonstrated for a long time before it was severely divided.

He explained that Israel waived two basic conditions, which are the withdrawal from Gaza and the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, adding that Sinwar is relying on a regional reality in its favor in light of the escalation of the operations of the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Houthis , as well as the pressure of the American administration on Netanyahu.

Also, an Israeli official told the Reuters news agency: "Hamas agreed to a watered-down Egyptian proposal that is not acceptable to Israel. The proposal includes far-reaching conclusions that Israel does not agree to." In addition, Israel claimed that the purpose of the Hamas announcement was, among other things, to postpone a possible military operation in Rafah. Politico's White House reporter added: "The deal that Hamas agreed to - not the deal that the White House and Israel gave their blessing."

Opposition leader Yair Lapid attacked: "A government that wants to return the abductees is now convening an urgent discussion and sending the teams to Cairo, not hysterically issuing three different briefings from different parties and crushing the hearts of the families. A national disgrace. There is no limit." Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir on Hamas' answer: "There is only one answer to Hamas' exercises and games: an immediate order to occupy Rafah! Increasing military pressure, and continuing the complete defeat of Hamas, until its complete defeat." In the meantime, the Pentagon spokesman said that they "have not yet seen an Israeli plan, detailed and reliable, that will take into account the safety of civilians who are expected to evacuate from Rafah".

According to sources in Israel the deal Hamas accepted was never on the table. They apparently wrote their own agreement, signed it and claimed they'd accepted a deal. An lsraeli oMcial said on Monday the truce Hamas said it agreed to was a "softened" version of an Egyptian proposal that included "far-reaching" conclusions that lsrael could not accept.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi told the Turkish channel TRT that "the Egyptian proposal stipulated in all its details and is clear in all its clauses, in a way that leaves no possibility for Israel to escape implementation. The agreement fulfilled our demands - the cessation of hostilities, the complete withdrawal of the IDF, the return of the displaced to their homes, the restoration of the Gaza Strip, and humanitarian aid".

The Israeli newspaper " Haaretz " revealed that there are "many sticking points" between Israel and Hamas regarding reaching an agreement leading to a ceasefire and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. According to the newspaper, one of the points of contention between the two sides is Israel’s demand that Hamas release 33 hostages alive as part of the first phase of the deal. While the first stage, according to Hamas’s proposal, includes the release of 33 hostages, “dead or alive,” without specifying the number of hostages who will be returned alive. In addition, Israel demanded that Hamas release 3 hostages every 3 days, while Hamas proposed releasing 3 hostages every week.

Hamas expressed its willingness to exchange a smaller number of Palestinian prisoners for the bodies of hostages, compared to those kidnapped who are still alive. In this scenario, Palestinian women and children detained in Israel since October 7 would be released in exchange for the bodies of the hostages, while Hamas would still demand dozens of Palestinian security prisoners for every hostage still alive. Israel does not oppose that scenario in general, according to the newspaper, but it insists that the first phase of the deal include the release of 33 hostages alive.

Also, there are two additional points that could raise objections in Israel, the first of which is that it cannot object to any of the Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be released under the deal, including those who were convicted of killing Israelis. The second point is that the Israeli army should withdraw from the central roads in Gaza, allowing Palestinians to move freely between northern and southern Gaza.

Israel gave Hamas a week to agree to a ceasefire deal or it will begin a military operation in Rafah, Egyptian officials said 03 May 2024. Egypt worked with Israel on a revised ceasefire proposal that it presented to Hamas. Hamas’s political leadership was expected to consult with its military wing in Gaza and revert to the proposal. But Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ military leader in Gaza, who is believed to be hiding in tunnels in the enclave, had not responded. Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military will send ground forces into Rafah regardless of whether a ceasefire deal is struck. But behind closed doors, Israeli officials were reportedly considering postponing the Rafah invasion indefinitely if a long-term deal is struck.

Israeli forces called 06 May 2024 for people in Rafah, into which huge numbers of displaced Palestinians were previously pushed, to evacuate to “an expanded humanitarian area”. The move came as Israel and Hamas blamed one another for a breakdown in truce negotiations. The Israeli military said in social media posts that it “encourages” residents in eastern Rafah to move to an area in al-Mawasi refugee camp, located by the Mediterranean west of Khan Younis. The army said calls to “temporarily” relocate would be “conveyed through flyers, SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic”. “[Israeli forces] will continue pursuing Hamas everywhere in Gaza until all the hostages that they are holding in captivity are back home,” it said. In a post on X, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee specified the appeal was to all people in the ash-Shoka area in the neighbourhoods of as-Salam, al-Jnaina, Tabet Ziraa and al-Bayyouk. An Israeli military spokesperson told journalists about 100,000 people were being evacuated.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he rejected Hamas's "ostensible acceptance of a ceasefire" as a "hoax." He said in statements reported by Israeli media, "There is only one response to Hamas' tricks and tricks - an immediate order to occupy Rafah, increase military pressure, and continue crushing Hamas until it is completely defeated."

Operational Update

In January 2020, the administration of former US President Donald Trump announced a peace plan for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which Israel adopted and which the Palestinians rejected for several reasons, including that it granted Israel most of what it sought during decades of conflict, including almost all of the occupied territories on which it established settlements.

By Passover 2024, the resulting war had reached something of a stasis. The three laws of thermodynamics are fundamental principles in the study of energy transfers: energy cannot be created or destroyed; the entropy of an isolated system always increases over time; perfect crystal at zero Kelvin has zero entropy. The physicist C.P. Snow summarized the laws as follows: “You can’t win,” “You can’t break even,” and “You can’t quit." This was the situation confronting the combatants: none could declare victory, none were prepared to admit defeat, and none could withdraw from the struggle. Death and destruction continued, though at a diminished pace, but very little changed from day to day.

The military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, believed that the military operation that Israel threatens in Rafah , south of the Gaza Strip, will not be a picnic for the occupation army, because the resistance brigades there are at their full capacity and capabilities. According to what the Israeli army says, there are 4 battalions affiliated with the Palestinian resistance in Rafah, which means - as Colonel Al-Falahi adds in his military analysis on Al Jazeera - that these battalions did not fight in previous battles, and are located within the geographical area that the battles did not reach, and therefore they are at their full potential. In terms of numbers and equipment.

Palestinian resistance fighters are fighting battles in a friendly environment and have a network of tunnels that enable them to withstand. The military and strategic expert noted that the incursion into Rafah would not be a cakewalk for the Israeli army, as evidenced by the battles that took place between it and resistance fighters in other areas. More than 1,300 Israeli vehicles were destroyed in the battles, recalling that the occupation army left Khan Yunis , south of the Gaza Strip, with the Al-Zana ambush, and the Nahal Brigade left the Netzarim axis with an ambush in the Al-Mughraqa area, south of Gaza City.

In addition to the fact that the land determines the nature of the battle in the coming period, the Israeli army is greatly exhausted and has suffered great losses in previous battles, according to Colonel Al-Falahi, who did not rule out that the Netanyahu government’s goal of threatening an attack on Rafah falls within the framework of political pressure on the factions. Resistance to concessions in ongoing negotiations.

The northern front had been characterized by heat since the recent period, especially in the Netzarim axis, which has become a target for resistance factions seeking to expel the forces present in that region. The Palestinian resistance intensified its operations in that area through sniping and infiltration operations towards Netzarim and the buffer zone. The military and strategic expert spoke about an existing operations room between the resistance factions, and said that there is very great coordination between them, and sometimes all factions strike the same target.

Hezbollah and Hamas, time after time, are successfully targeting Israeli occupation forces' weak points and hitting the occupation's "soft flank", Amir Bohbot, the military correspondent for the Israeli Walla! news website, explained. The analyst made the remark following a series of successful operations, launched from South Lebanon and the Gaza Strip by Hezbollah and al-Qassam Brigades respectively, dealing heavy human casualties to the Israeli military.

Specifically, Bohbot referenced al-Qassam's short-range rocket attack that killed 4 Israeli soldiers in an Israeli site near Karem Abu Salem, injuring multiple others, and a Hezbollah drone attack that killed two Israeli military officers Metulla. "For the second time, [Hezbollah] succeeds in challenging the [Israeli] air defense and sends drones (to Israeli sites) and uses long-range anti-tank guided missiles to hit military targets deep in Israel," the correspondent explained.

"In recent days, Hezbollah utilized a blend of radar systems, monitoring systems, and surveillance drones to collect information, monitor [targets], and attack," he added. Bohbot said that Israeli reservists serving in northern occupied territories have revealed that Hezbollah is keeping tabs on them throughout their deployment there, adding that their non-operational activities put them in Hezbollah's crosshairs.

He pointed to the fact that most of Hezbollah's attacks have targeted Israeli military infrastructure and intelligence collection equipment, however, the Resistance does have a long list of Israeli military personnel targets. In this context, Bohbot brought up Hezbollah's attack on an Israeli military command site in Arab al-Aramsha, in which nearly a dozen soldiers and officers were wounded or killed, saying the incident "has made us feel like we are playing a game of Russian roulette." The military correspondent said that this game of Russian roulette led to the death of two majors in the 6651st Patrol Battalion.

Operational Update - Gaza

Speaking from Jerusalem, Netanyahu stated, "Last night I ordered, with the approval of the War Cabinet, to operate in Rafah. Within hours our forces raised the Israeli flags at the Rafah crossing and took down the Hamas flags." This development follows discussions held in Cairo regarding a potential ceasefire proposal. However, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel remains steadfast in its objectives. "The entry into Rafah serves two main war goals: the return of our abductees and the elimination of Hamas," he declared.

The Israeli army announced that it controls the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, and that its forces are searching the area. The army said, "At the present time, we have special forces surveying the crossing... We have operational control over the area and other crossings, and we have special forces surveying the area." He explained, "We are only talking about the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing." The army reaffirmed that the goal of the operation was to eliminate the infrastructure of the Hamas movement, noting that before the operation, it had encouraged residents in the eastern Rafah area to temporarily evacuate to the expanded humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi.

The army distributed a video clip showing an Israeli tank entering the crossing, planting an Israeli flag, and advancing into the empty area. The army added that "its ground forces and fighter aircraft bombed and destroyed targets belonging to the Hamas movement in the Rafah area, including military structures and underground infrastructure from which Hamas operates in the Rafah area." The army stated that "mortar shells were fired on Sunday from the Rafah crossing area towards the Kerem Shalom crossing area, which led to the death of four Israeli soldiers and the injury of a number of other soldiers." For his part, the spokesman for the Gaza Crossings Authority confirmed that “the Israeli occupation is condemning the residents of the Gaza Strip and cancer patients to death in light of the collapse of the health system after closing the Rafah crossing.”

Israel urged civilians to evacuate areas of the city of Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, on Monday, in what appeared to be preparation for an attack it has been threatening for a long time against “strongholds of the Hamas movement” (classified as a terrorist organization in the United States and other countries). Witnesses said that some Palestinian families went out in the rain after receiving instructions through text messages, phone calls and leaflets in Arabic, to move to what the Israeli army described as an “expanded humanitarian zone” 20 kilometers away.

Egypt raised the level of military preparedness in the North Sinai region adjacent to the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters. Israeli Army Radio reported that Israeli officials informed Egypt on Sunday evening of the start of the process of evacuating residents from Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Monday morning.

Haaretz newspaper revealed that Israel had committed to the United States and Egypt to restrict its operation in Rafah, focusing only on the eastern side of the city, and to assign a private American security company to manage the Rafah crossing after the end of its operations. Israel also pledged not to harm the crossing facilities to ensure its continued operation.

Before the ground incursion into Rafah, Israel made clear that its goal in the operation was “to put pressure on Hamas in negotiations.” Israel believes that Hamas's loss of control over the Rafah crossing will be a major setback for it, as it will be deprived of collecting taxes on trucks and goods, and "will not be able to bring weapons and other prohibited materials into Gaza," according to the newspaper.

The Egyptians and Americans initially opposed any large-scale operations in Rafah, fearing that they would lead to civilian casualties in the densely populated area. Egyptian officials made clear during the discussions that they opposed the attack on Rafah for fear that civilians would make their way across the border fence to take cover. According to officials, Hamas may try to destroy part of the fence to help large numbers of Gazans escape. According to the Gaza Crossings Authority, between 8,000 and 10,000 citizens have fled from the Gaza Strip to Egypt since the beginning of the war on October 7th.

IDF forces were attacking and operating against Hamas targets in a targeted manner in East Rafah. IDF Spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari : "This morning we announced the beginning of the evacuation of the population in the neighborhoods of Mizrah Rafah and the expansion of the humanitarian complex in Moesi and Khan Yunis, as part of the preparation for a ground operation. Tonight we call on those staying in the areas - to move towards the expanded humanitarian zone."

"Tonight, I wish to remember the Holocaust survivors who were kidnapped and murdered on October 7, and those who survived the brutal attack - including 86-year-old Shlomo Manzour, who survived the brutality in Iraq and was kidnapped from his home on October 7. Along with him, 131 abductees and abductees who are still being brutally held In the captivity of Hamas. Today, it is our moral duty to do and act in every possible way in order to return them home."

During the night, fighter jets attacked terrorist targets in the Rafah area at the focal point from where the TMS firing was carried out last night towards Kerem Shalom, including a sniper position, a military structure and a terrorist infrastructure. In addition, combat team forces of the 679th Brigade identified a squad of armed terrorists and, in a quick closing of the circle, an Air Force aircraft attacked and eliminated the terrorists. During the last day, fighter jets attacked terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including military buildings, launch sites and trapped buildings. In addition, combat helicopters attacked weapons and a structure from which firing was carried out towards our forces.

Announcements were made calling on residents in the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah to evacuate temporarily to the expanded humanitarian area, this evacuation is carried out through announcements, SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic.

The wording of the announcement:

"To all the residents and relatives in the area of the town of Al-Shukha and the neighborhoods of Al-Salam, Al-Janina, Taba Zara'a, and Al-Yarmouk, and the blocks: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 28, 270. The IDF will act with great force against the terrorist organizations in the area where you are, as it has done so far. Anyone who is close to terrorist organizations puts himself and his family members at risk. For the sake of your safety, the IDF urges you to evacuate immediately to the expanded humanitarian zone in the Almoasi area. We warn you that Gaza City is still a dangerous fighting zone, avoid returning north to the Gaza River. We warn you not to approach the eastern and southern security fence.

"The IDF announces the expansion of the humanitarian zone in the Almoasi area. From now on, the area will spread from Deir al-Balah in the north to blocks 2323, 2371, 2360, in the south and east to the center of the city of Khan Yunis as shown in the attached map. Expanded humanitarian aid will continue in this area. The IDF will continue to fight the terrorist organizations that use you as a human shield. We remind you that Gaza City is a dangerous fighting area, avoid going north of the Gaza River. Do not approach the eastern and southern security fence."

The "sudden" Israeli control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt came to raise questions about the reasons for that step, its repercussions and the extent of its impact on relations between the Egyptian and Israeli sides and the peace agreement signed between the two countries.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee revealed that Israeli forces have intensified their ground operations in the eastern region of the city of Rafah. Speaking to Al-Hurra website, Adraee said: “We are completing operational control over the area on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.” After that, the Israeli army announced that Israeli special forces had taken control of the Palestinian side of the crossing and were combing the area. He added that forces are operating in a specific area in eastern Rafah, and that the vast majority of residents in the area of military operations have been evacuated.

The Israeli army announced, on Tuesday, that Israeli special forces had taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, and were combing the area.

He explained in a statement that "forces from the 162nd Division launched a surprise operation to neutralize Hamas targets east of Rafah." Regarding the reasons for the Israeli forces’ control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, Israeli political analyst, Mordechai Kedar, points out that “Israel seeks to stop arms supplies to the Hamas movement.”

The majority of Hamas' armament comes from Egypt, and to eliminate the movement, it must stop "supplying it with weapons" that come through the Egyptian border through and above the tunnels, according to what he told the "Al-Hurra" website. Kedar confirms that this control is considered to be of "strategic importance to Israel so that it can complete its objectives of the war in the Gaza Strip."

For his part, the Israeli military and strategic expert, Kofi Lavie, stresses that "the ground operation in Rafah is necessary to break the remaining regular force of the Hamas movement." Israel seeks to complete its military goals in the Gaza Strip by eliminating Hamas and its infrastructure and recovering those kidnapped by the movement, according to his interview with Al-Hurra website.

Egypt condemned the Israeli military operations in the city of Rafah, and the Israeli forces’ control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “This dangerous escalation threatens the lives of more than a million Palestinians who depend primarily on this crossing as it is the main lifeline of the Gaza Strip, and the safe outlet for the wounded and sick to exit to receive treatment, and for the entry of humanitarian and relief aid to our Palestinian brothers in Gaza.” Cairo called on the Israeli side to "exercise the utmost self-restraint and stay away from a policy of brinkmanship that has long-term impact, and that would threaten the fate of the strenuous efforts made to reach a sustainable truce inside the Gaza Strip." Egypt also called on all influential international parties to intervene and exert the necessary pressure to defuse the current crisis and allow diplomatic efforts to achieve their desired results.

For his part, Egyptian political science professor, Tariq Fahmy, explains that “Egypt is intensifying its contacts at the present time to urge the Israeli side to (withdraw on Tuesday) from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.” Israeli control “threatens the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel,” and Egypt seeks to reach an understanding with the Israeli side so that the presence of Israeli forces is limited to “a specific area east of Rafah,” and not to expand the scope of the military operation in the southern city, as Fahmy explains to the Al-Hurra website.

In a related context, the Egyptian military and strategic expert, Major General Staff Samir Farag, confirms that Israeli control constitutes an “indirect threat to Egypt,” and accusations of “the presence of arms support have nothing to do with the truth.” Last January, the head of the Egyptian State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, responded to statements by Israeli officials, in which they indicated the existence of weapons smuggling operations into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian territory, considering them to be “false allegations and claims.” “The indirect threat to Egypt affects the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement,” because it “represents harassment of Egyptian lands,” according to Farag’s interview with Al-Hurra website.

International law expert, Ayman Salama, confirms that this control amounts to a “violation of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.” Speaking to Al-Hurra website, Salama explains that Israel’s control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia corridor represents “a breach of the amended Second Protocol to the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.” The amended protocol was signed in 2005 and allows and authorizes Egypt to “monitor the Philadelphia Corridor,” and thus “Egypt controls the crossing, prevents smuggling operations, and demolishes the tunnels that Hamas dug between Egyptian and Palestinian Rafah to smuggle weapons and ammunition,” according to Salama.

Kedar points out that "Israel will not withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing," and says: "The last person to complain about Israeli control of the Rafah crossing is the Egyptian side." Israel will continue military operations to “eliminate Hamas,” and Egypt should have worked to “prevent weapons and ammunition from reaching the movement,” according to Kedar. The Israeli political analyst believes that the Egyptian side “did not fulfill its duty,” which prompted Israel to “assume that role and control the Palestinian side of the crossing.”

In a related context, Lafi asserts that “Israel will not withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing,” unless there is a “Hamas-Israeli agreement” regarding a truce in the Gaza Strip. “The military operation in Rafah and the control came in coordination with Egypt,” and therefore “there is no threat to the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel,” according to the Israeli military and strategic expert.

But Fahmy denies this, and confirms that “there is no Egyptian-Israeli coordination regarding the control process.” Cairo refuses to “extend the operation” in Rafah, and the communication channels between Egypt and Israel are “currently working intensively,” according to the Egyptian political science professor.

For his part, Major General Faraj believes that the current Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is seeking to "undermine the peace agreement with Egypt." The Egyptian military and strategic expert points out that talk about smuggling and tunnels are "false and baseless justifications for controlling the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing." Egypt has already destroyed more than 2,000 tunnels between Palestinian and Egyptian Rafah, and there is no smuggling between the two sides and the Egyptian authorities “completely control the border,” according to Major General Farag. The military and strategic expert explains, "Egypt will study this Israeli escalation and wait, and will not take any direct action so as not to thwart the peace agreement between the two countries."

UN agencies said on Tuesday that the two main crossings into the Gaza Strip remain closed, effectively cutting off foreign aid to a territory that has very few shops. “Israel closed the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings as part of its military operation in Rafah,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said during a press conference in Geneva. He added, "The two main crossings for bringing aid into the Gaza Strip are now closed," and that the United Nations agencies have only very few stocks inside the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing consumption of humanitarian supplies.

He continued, saying, "Preventing the entry of fuel designated for humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip destroys the humanitarian relief operation in the Strip," noting that the United Nations' stock of this material is "enough for only one day." He revealed, "We have a very small stock, enough for about one day," explaining that fuel enters through Rafah only, and that this "stock is for the entire humanitarian operation in Gaza."

Israel prevented the United Nations from reaching the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip, according to Laerke. Laerke said, "We are not currently present at the Rafah crossing because the COGAT office (the Office for the Coordination of Israeli Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories) refused to allow us access to this area," which is the main crossing point for humanitarian aid.

In the "strongest terms", Egypt condemned, on Tuesday, the Israeli military operations in the city of Rafah, and the Israeli forces' control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in, “This dangerous escalation threatens the lives of more than a million Palestinians who depend primarily on this crossing as it is the main lifeline of the Gaza Strip, and the safe outlet for the wounded and sick to exit to receive treatment, and for the entry of humanitarian and relief aid to our Palestinian brothers in Gaza.”

Cairo called on the Israeli side to "exercise the utmost self-restraint and stay away from a policy of brinkmanship that has long-term impact, and that would threaten the fate of the strenuous efforts made to reach a sustainable truce inside the Gaza Strip." Egypt also called on all influential international parties to intervene and exert the necessary pressure to defuse the current crisis and allow diplomatic efforts to achieve their desired results.

The Palestinian Resistance continues to confront invading Israeli occupation forces and launch rocket attacks on envelope settlements and military sites, amid a recent invasion of Rafah in the southernmost Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's (PIJ) al-Quds Brigades announced that its fighters targeted Israeli occupation soldiers and military vehicles near the al-Shoka neighborhood, to the east of Rafah, with a barrage of 107 mm rockets and several 120 mm mortar shells.

In the same area, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades fighters targeted enemy forces with heavy-caliver mortar shells. As for Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades, the group targeted groupings of Israeli occupation soldiers to the east of Rafah with 114 mm locally-produced Rajoum rockets. Utilizing the same Multiple Rocket Launcher and mortar rounds, al-Qassam fighters targeted occupation forces at the Karem Abu Salem military site.

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (DFLP) National Resistance Brigades fired several rockets toward Israeli occupation forces who launched an incursion toward the Rafah border crossing. As for direct ground operations, al-Qassam Brigades engaged an Israeli Merkava tank with a locally-produced tandem rocket-propelled grenade (al-Yassin) in the al-Shoka neighborhood. As a result, the tanks were destroyed and were caught up in flames, while al-Qassam fighters engaged occupation soldiers who retreated toward a building in the neighborhood.

Concurrently, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's (PFLP) Martyr Abu Ali Moustapha Brigades fired a large barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells at Israeli occupation forces positioned on the Netzarim Axis, which splits the northern Gaza Strip from the rest of the besieged territory.

As for rocket launch operations targeting occupation soldiers and settlements outside the Gaza Strip, al-Quds Brigades fired several barrages of rockets that targeted envelope settlements and Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. Al-Qassam Brigades launched its own attack on the Re'im Military Base to the east of Rafah. As a result of these attacks, sirens went off in Ein HaShlosha, Kissufim, and Reim, as well as Deke Avshalom, Yated, Sdeh Avraham, and Holit. According to Israeli media outlets, these barrages were composed of at least 30 rockets, one of the largest salvos launched by the Resistance in recent weeks toward occupation settlements.

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

Many forces of the IDF, the Shin Bet and the Shin Bet, under the intelligence guidance of the Amman and the Shin Bet, have been working since the night hours in an operation to counter terrorism in the Tulkarm area of the Menashe Brigade. So far in the activity, the fighters have eliminated an armed terrorist, destroyed an explosives laboratory, located another explosives laboratory and a Kalashnikov type rifle. Engineering forces uncovered a number of charges buried under axles, raided compounds and buildings, searched for weapons and interrogated suspects. At the same time, the IDF's Shin Bet and MGB fighters operated tonight to arrest 13 wanted persons throughout Judea and Samaria. The arrested wanted persons were transferred for further investigation by the security forces, there are no casualties to Israeli forces.

Operational Update - Lebanon

Israel has exchanged fire with Hezbollah on an almost daily basis, since the Hamas movement (classified as a terrorist group in the United States and other countries) attacked Israel on October 7th.

Fighter jets attacked a military structure of Hezbollah in the Sarabin area and a launch position of the organization Problema al-Sha'ab in southern Lebanon. In addition, the IDF forces fired artillery to remove a threat in the A-Tswana area in southern Lebanon. Israeli warplanes launched air strikes "targeting 15 military buildings and structures inside a Hezbollah Forces' Radwan Force camp" in the Arab al-Louizeh / al-Luiza area in southern Lebanon, Al Hurra's correspondent reported.

The raids came in the wake of monitoring a bomb-laden drone that infiltrated from Lebanon towards the overlooking Israeli territories, as Israeli media reported earlier, Monday, that sirens sounded in northern Israel near the Lebanese border. In turn, the official “National News Agency” in Lebanon stated that “Israeli warplanes carried out a violent aggression at approximately 11:35 p.m., launching 8 raids targeting several areas in the highlands and valleys of the Iqlim al-Tuffah and Jabal al-Rayhan regions, and focused on the vicinity of the Tassa Spring and the Aqamata Farm.” And the towns of Louaize and Malikh.”

Following the alerts that were activated in the north of the country for fear of hostile aircraft infiltration, an explosive drone was detected that crossed from Lebanese territory to the Metula area. During the night, fighter jets of the Air Force attacked a military compound of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the A-Safar area deep in Lebanon. In addition, military structures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization were attacked in the areas of Ramya, Eyta al-Sha'ab and Marfiin, along with the terrorist infrastructure of the organization in the area of Jebel Balt in southern Lebanon. The IDF attacked with artillery fire to remove a threat in the Sheba area in southern Lebanon.

The official National News Agency in Lebanon announced on Sunday that at least three people were killed as a result of an Israeli raid on the village of Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon. These developments came hours after 4 people from one family were killed in an Israeli raid, on Sunday, targeting the town of Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

Last night, two launches were detected from Syrian territory towards the area of Ramot Magashim that fell in open areas. There are no casualties. IDF forces attacked the sources of the shooting with tank fire. During the night, fighter jets of the Air Force successfully intercepted an unmanned aircraft that made its way to Israeli territory from the east. The vessel was under surveillance by IDF forces, did not pose a threat and no alerts were activated in accordance with policy. There were no casualties and no damage was caused.

Operational Update - Yemen

Maps

All maps are lies. “Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential,” wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. These processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

On Monday, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, warned that an Israeli “invasion” of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip would be “unbearable,” calling on the Israeli government and Hamas to “make an additional effort” to reach a truce. Guterres said in a statement to reporters when he received Italian President Sergio Mattarella, "A ground invasion of Rafah would be unbearable because of its devastating humanitarian consequences and its destabilizing effect in the region." He added, "Today I made a very strong appeal to the Israeli government and the Hamas leadership to make an additional effort to reach an agreement, which is very vital. This is an opportunity that cannot be missed."

Axis of Resistance

Reaffirming Iran’s unfaltering support for Palestine without waiting for other Islamic governments, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said this year’s Hajj will be the manifestation of disavowal from the heinous crimes being committed against Gaza. The Iranian officials in charge of conducting and organizing Hajj pilgrimage met with Ayatollah Khamenei ahead of the Hajj season as pilgrims will start their journey to Saudi Arabia to perform the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage. The meeting was held at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah in Tehran on Monday, May 6.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Leader described Hajj as a multi-dimensional obligation in terms of material and spiritual aspects. “In the inner dimension, the remembrance of God as ‘the true source of life, shaping an individual’s, society’s and a nation’s determination, willpower, and decisions,’ is the prominent point of all stages and positions of Hajj,” he stated.

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the importance of the social aspect of Hajj, which includes unity and fostering connections among Muslims. He emphasized that the underlying philosophy of the divine invitation for all individuals to gather at a specific place and time during Hajj is to allow Muslims to become familiar with one another, work together, and make collective decisions. By doing so, he stated, the beneficial and tangible outcomes of Hajj can be shared by the Islamic world and all of humanity, while noting that the Islamic world currently lacks effective joint decision-making and collaboration.

The Leader emphasized that disregarding national, religious, and ethnic differences is essential for unity. “The vast, uniform gathering of followers of all Islamic denominations from all nationalities during Hajj is a clear manifestation of the socio-political aspect of the pilgrimage,” he added. While pointing out that Hajj should be filled with the blessed name of Prophet Abraham (AS) and his teachings, Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that disavowal of the enemies of God’s religion is a valuable lesson drawn from his teachings.

On the same note, the Leader said, “Since the beginning of the Revolution, bara’at (Disavowal of the polytheists) has always been carried out in Hajj. However, this year, in light of the major, alarming events in Gaza, which have further exposed the blood-sucking image of the group that arose from Western civilization, this year's Hajj is especially focused on disavowal.”

The Leader considered the current events in Gaza to be a major sign in history. “The savage attacks of the rabid Zionist dogs on one side, and the resistance and oppression of the Gazans on the other side, will remain in history and guide mankind. The amazing and unprecedented effect that it has had in non-Islamic societies and universities of the US and other countries, are proof of its history-making and significant nature.”

He elucidated the duty that the Islamic Ummah has regarding the atrocities taking place in Gaza, during the Abrahamic Hajj. “Abraham (PBUH) was a compassionate prophet with a very kind heart, but at the same time, this prophet of God also strongly expressed his renunciation and clearly declared his enmity against the oppressors and hostile enemies,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated. Referring to verses of the Quran, Ayatollah Khamenei described the Zionist regime as the absolute epitome of enmity towards Muslims, adding that the US is an accomplice of this regime. “If it were not for the US’s support, would the Zionist regime have the power and audacity to treat Muslims, men, women, and children so brutally like this?”

The Leader added, “Those who kill Muslims and force them into displacement, as well as their supporters, are both oppressors, and according to the explicit Quranic verse, if anyone befriends them, they too are oppressors and cursed by God.” Considering the current situation of the Islamic world, he regarded the Abrahamic approach to Hajj, which means clear renunciation of enemies, more important than ever. “Based on this, Iranian and non-Iranian pilgrims should be able to convey the Quranic reasoning in supporting the Palestinians to the entire Islamic world,” he stated. Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized, “Of course, the Islamic Republic has not and will not wait for others (to take action), but if the strong Muslim nations and governments unite and accompany (this endeavor), the deplorable condition that the Palestinians are in will no longer continue.”

Allied for Democracy

In recent months, senior Israeli officials and foreign diplomats have expressed great doubts about whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually intends to reach an agreement. A foreign diplomat working in Israel, whose identity was not revealed by Haaretz, said: “Our assessment is that Netanyahu is fighting a battle for political survival, and this is what governs his movements.” The diplomat added: “The more Netanyahu intensifies the fighting, the greater his chances of remaining prime minister,” noting that “reaching a hostage deal puts the continuation of his rule at risk, because stopping the fighting because of the deal would increase internal pressure on him to call for elections (..).” .

The United Kingdom's muted response to Israel's directive for evacuations in eastern Rafah has drawn sharp criticism from humanitarian organizations that have underscored concerns over complicity in potential mass killings as Israel is preparing for another genocide in Gaza. Natalie Roberts, the executive director of Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, has called on the UK government to explain why it has not condemned Israel’s planned offensive on Rafah.

Roberts questioned the government's stance, stating, "What is the UK government doing to avoid being complicit in the mass killings of Palestinians dying in their thousands from violence and disease?" This inquiry was made in a post on X. The post was linked to an MSF statement, marking the charity's third open letter to the UK regarding Israel's actions in Gaza. The letter condemned Israeli airstrikes that have destroyed hospitals across the Gaza Strip, accusing the UK of moral and political complicity by continuing arms exports.

In a related development, the Islamic Relief, a UK-based international charity, has expressed its dismay at Israel's evacuation orders in eastern Rafah. The organization highlighted the humanitarian consequences of such actions, emphasizing the inevitability of casualties. Despite the designation of the area as a "safe humanitarian zone," the charity asserted that it remains unsafe, with civilians facing attacks and severe shortages of essential supplies. Residents of eastern Rafah are grappling with the prospect of forced displacement as the Israeli military issued evacuation orders ahead of a potential offensive in Gaza's south.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Monday, and the call focused on the expected Israeli military operation in the city of Rafah, according to Al Hurra’s correspondent in Jerusalem. The reporter stated that the conversation lasted about 30 minutes. The American correspondent of the Axios website in Israel, Barak Ravid, had said, quoting an Israeli official, that the American President would speak with the Israeli Prime Minister later Monday regarding Rafah.

The Biden administration expressed concern about Israel's intention to carry out a ground operation in the city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians were displaced there. US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, visited Israel last Wednesday and held a “difficult” conversation with Netanyahu regarding the possible operation in Rafah. Blinken told Netanyahu during their meeting that a “major military operation” in Rafah would lead the United States to publicly oppose it, and would negatively affect American-Israeli relations. A day later, the US National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby, warned against "carrying out a ground operation in Rafah that does not take the displaced into account."

Regarding the American position on the Israeli military operations in Rafah, the regional spokesman for the US State Department, Samuel Werberg, told Al-Hurra website that “in light of recent developments and continuing efforts, the US administration is carefully following the situation in Rafah and the ongoing negotiations to reach a ceasefire agreement.” He stressed that “the American administration does not support launching a large-scale military operation in Rafah as currently planned, as the United States warned Israel against carrying out a military attack on Rafah, without a realistic plan to move civilians away from harm’s areas.” Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stated this week “Washington has not yet seen a plan with such specifications, given the serious humanitarian impacts resulting from this.”

He added: "The American administration is keen to communicate with the Israeli government and its partners in the region to enhance diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement." He pointed out that "a reliable and implementable humanitarian plan has not been monitored that would alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people at this delicate stage." He stressed the continuation of working with partners, “including Egypt, Qatar, and Israel, to review and discuss mutual responses between the parties concerned,” pointing out that “the goal of these negotiations is to reach an immediate ceasefire, release the hostages, and allow greater movement of humanitarian aid.”

He continued, "We believe that reaching a ceasefire agreement represents the best interest of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples." Werberg expressed "deep concern about reports indicating evacuation orders in Rafah," and called for "the suspension of any operations that may further complicate the current humanitarian situation." Considering that "preserving civilian lives and ensuring the effective distribution of humanitarian aid must remain at the core of any efforts to resolve the crisis."

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

• 1,900,000 IDPs in Gaza
• 77,084 Gazans injured, 28% adult male
• 70,000 tons of explosives dropped on Gaza
• 70,000 housing units completely destroyed
• 70,000 Israeli IDPs from Lebanon border
• 45,000 bombs dropped in Gaza
• 43,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble
• 34,735 Gazans martyred
• 33,000 Gaza targets attacked
• 20,528 Palestinians in Israeli prisons [Haaretz, 20 Mar 2024]
• 15,140 Israelis injured [i24 TV]
• 15,000 rockets launched from Gaza
• 14,520 Gazan children martyred
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]
• 13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]
• 11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023
• 10,000 Gazans missing under the rubble
• 9,920 Gazan women martyred
• 9,400 Palestinians in Israeli prisons
• 9,000 IDF needing psychological assistance
• 8,365 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th
• 7,209 IDF injured admitted to rehabilitation [IDF]
• 6,800 IDF officers and soldiers injured [Channel 12]
• 6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]
• 5,500 IDF wounded [reports]
• 4,800 West Bank Palestinians wounded
• 4,700 sites targetted in Lebanon
• 3,850 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria
• 3,484 administrative detainees
• 3,188 IDF wounded [IDF]
• 2,100 Gazan women are missing
• 1,609 terrorists killed on the first day
• 1,650 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas
• 1,160 Israelis killed on the first day
• 604 Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the start of the war
• 468 West Bank Palestinians martyred
• 390 people [including fighters] killed in Lebanon
• 260 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza
• 255 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon
• 126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers
• 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody
• 70 civilians killed in Lebanon
• 29 IDF deaths were caused by "friendly fire"
• 15 Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel
• 11 Israeli soldiers killed on Northern front
• 9 Israeli civilians killed on Northern front

Not every number is reported every day, so sudden jumps generally reflect reporting artifacts rather than actual upticks. Many of these numbers fluctate, up and down, with no apparent explanation. This list records the highest number reliably reported for each matter, under the theory that reality with catch up with reports, as is relentlessly the case.