In the midst of ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Israeli forces seized control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on May 7, 2024. The move came after intelligence indicated that the area was being used for terrorist purposes. According to reports, at least six children were among the 23 people killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah overnight. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that ground troops and airstrikes targeted suspected Hamas positions in Rafah. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the Israeli seizure of the crossing, which is the main route for aid entering Gaza and exit for those able to flee into Egypt.
Hamas had earlier accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated ceasefire proposal, but Israel insisted that it did not meet its core demands. The high-stakes diplomatic moves and military brinkmanship left a glimmer of hope alive for an accord that could bring at least a pause in the 7-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip.
The proposed ceasefire agreement, which was put forward by Egypt and Qatar, would come in three stages. The first stage involves an initial halt in fighting, withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory, release of captives on both sides, and sustainable calm leading to a permanent ceasefire. The second stage includes a return to sustainable calm and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, followed by reconstruction and lifting of the siege. The third stage involves an exchange of bodies and remains of the dead on both sides.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Israel continued its military offensive in Rafah, aiming at killing Hamas terrorists and dismantling Hamas terrorist infrastructure in eastern Rafah. Residents were urged to evacuate temporarily before the operation began. Mortars fired from the area of the Rafah Crossing toward Kerem Shalom Crossing resulted in the death of four IDF soldiers and injuries to several others.
The seizure of Rafah crossing has raised concerns about potential humanitarian consequences for over 1.4 million Palestinians taking refuge there. Egypt warned that any seizure of Rafah could see Palestinians fleeing over the border, a scenario that could threaten a 1979 peace deal with Israel.
