Israel seizes Gaza from Rafah border crossing with Egypt amid cease-fire talks

Jerusalem, May 7, 2024 - Israel's 401st Brigade seized control of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday morning, taking operational control of the crucial crossing.

This development comes amidst cease-fire negotiations with Hamas that remain in a delicate state. The move comes after conflicting statements from both sides regarding a proposed Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire deal. Hamas announced on Monday that it had accepted the proposal, while Israel maintained that the terms did not align with its core demands.

The diplomatic maneuvers and military actions have left a glimmer of hope for a potential accord that could bring at least a pause in the 7-month-old war that has caused significant devastation in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Military's Assertion and Actions

The Israeli military claimed to have seized the crossing after receiving intelligence that it was "being used for terrorist purposes." However, immediate evidence supporting this assertion was not provided. It was alleged that the area around the crossing had been utilized to launch a mortar attack that resulted in casualties on the Israeli side near the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Additionally, ground troops and airstrikes targeted suspected Hamas positions in Rafah.

The offensive has resulted in casualties among Palestinians, with reports indicating that 20 individuals were killed and several others wounded in strikes that hit at least four houses. The Palestinian Crossings Authority confirmed the seizure of the crossing by Israeli forces and stated that the facility had been closed temporarily due to the strikes in the vicinity.