The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli tanks have surrounded the eastern part of Rafah and control the main road dividing the two halves of the city.
Israeli tanks in eastern Rafah on May 10.
The operation is proceeding despite threats from the White House that the U.S. would stop supplying weapons if Israel launched a ground offensive on Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million civilians are sheltering. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that such an operation would cause a horrific humanitarian catastrophe. According to the UN, more than 100,000 people have fled Rafah this week, many of them returning to Khan Younis, where fighting has been intense this year.
The Biden administration suspects Israel is using American weapons in violation of international law.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said yesterday that there were no signs of a major ground operation in Rafah. Earlier, the US had issued a surprising criticism of Israel's use of weapons supplied by Washington in the conflict in the Gaza Strip. In a May 10 report, the US State Department said it had reason to believe that Israel had used the supplied weapons in a way that was "inconsistent" with international humanitarian law. However, the report did not draw specific conclusions and said there was insufficient evidence to stop supplying weapons to Israel.
Meanwhile, negotiations for a ceasefire have nearly stalled. Hamas criticized Israel's rejection of the mediators' proposal, saying it has brought the talks back to square one. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya stated that the movement wants peace and a genuine hostage exchange, while accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of wanting the fighting to continue.
However, according to The Times of Israel , the proposal that Hamas claims was put forward by Egypt and Qatar includes many significant differences from the version that Israel has agreed to.
Yesterday, the New Arab newspaper reported that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani had invited Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and CIA director William Burns to Doha to resume negotiations, but it is unclear whether the two officials will attend.
Reports emerge of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas in Rafah.
In another development, the UN General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution calling on the Security Council to support granting Palestine full membership in the UN. According to CNN, the resolution was passed overwhelmingly with 143 votes in favor, 25 abstentions, and 9 against, including votes from the US and Israel. Although largely symbolic, the resolution grants Palestine additional powers within the UN. Palestinian representatives called it a historic milestone, while Israeli Foreign Minister Katz said the resolution sends a message to Hamas that the movement's violence has yielded results.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/israel-day-manh-chien-dich-mien-dong-rafah-185240511235158627.htm
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