Escalating Tensions: Israel’s Targeted Operation Heightens Gaza Conflict

Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din

Israel has initiated a limited military operation in Rafah, situated in the southern region of the Gaza Strip, as confirmed by sources from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office. This move is deemed necessary to achieve the objectives set forth in the ongoing conflict. Notably, Rafah is home to 1.5 million refugees, and mediators are tirelessly working to salvage a ceasefire deal amidst fears of potential catastrophic consequences if a full-scale assault on the city proceeds, caution Palestinian experts. Moreover, there are concerns that an influx of refugees may spill over into the Sinai Peninsula. Learn more about the unfolding situation in the southern enclave and the anticipated duration of the operation in “Izvestia”.

In recent weeks, there has been speculation in the media regarding the commencement of a ground operation in Rafah, believed by the Israeli side to harbor the remaining forces of Hamas. However, Israel has not yet committed to a full-fledged assault on the city, where 1.5 million refugees reside. Nevertheless, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are gradually intensifying their activities in Rafah.

On the morning of May 7th, the IDF took full control of the Rafah Crossing, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, through which refugees pass and humanitarian aid is delivered. Presently, IDF units are conducting searches in the region amid the ongoing operation in the eponymous city. Simultaneously, artillery and airstrikes continue to target the city. The military actions are currently limited in scope to exert greater pressure on the leadership of Hamas, as stated by Dmitry Gendelman, an advisor in the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.

“The Israeli Defense Forces have initiated a limited military operation in Rafah to locate and liberate our hostages, continue to dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities, and identify and hold accountable those terrorists who planned and participated in the massacre on October 7, 2023,” he noted.

In Israel, it appears that a decision has been made not to transition to a full-scale ground invasion of the city following the conclusion of ceasefire talks in Cairo on May 5th. On May 6th, after the commencement of the civilian evacuation from Rafah, Hamas announced its acceptance of the proposed ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

“Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh had a phone conversation with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of Egyptian General Intelligence Abbas Kamel, informing them of the movement’s agreement to their proposal for a ceasefire,” the group stated.

Against this backdrop, Benjamin Netanyahu likely chose to leave room for maneuver, although he did not completely abandon the idea of storming Rafah. “The Security Cabinet unanimously decided that Israel will continue its operation in Rafah… Despite Hamas’ proposal being far from Israel’s essential requirements, we will send a delegation for negotiations to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement on terms acceptable to Israel,” a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office on May 6th read.

According to reports in American media, the United States has approved a draft ceasefire agreement. The latest proposal put forth by mediators differs only slightly from the version previously approved by Israel, according to the Associated Press.

The proposal itself includes three stages, each lasting 42 days. The first stage entails a temporary ceasefire in densely populated areas, a ten-hour daily halt to UAV flights, and the withdrawal of Israeli units from several directions in the center of the Gaza Strip: the “Netzarim Axis” and the “Kuwaiti Interchange.” Additionally, the parties undertake to conduct an exchange, which will include women, elderly, sick, and wounded individuals, including female military personnel.

The second stage involves a complete cessation of hostilities and the full withdrawal of troops from Palestinian territory. Furthermore, plans are in place for the exchange of male prisoners and detainees.

The third stage entails the return of refugees to their areas without any conditions or obstacles, as well as ensuring their free movement throughout Gaza. Additionally, it proposes commencing the reconstruction process of the enclave, lasting between three to five years. The exchange in the final stage will only involve the bodies of the deceased.

However, it is worth noting that Hamas’ demand for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip remains unacceptable to the Israeli Prime Minister.

In total, 132 hostages continue to be held captive by Hamas, including three Russian citizens. At the same time, there are about 13 thousand Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

In general, the careful start of hostilities in Rafah is associated not only with Israel’s position in the ceasefire negotiations, but also with great military pressure from the opposition and the international community on the government and personally on Netanyahu. Many fear that the assault on the city could lead to even more catastrophic consequences, says Palestinian journalist Asmat Mansour.

– The operation in Rafah began, so to speak, not at the easiest time: the whole world is watching this situation. Moreover, such actions could cause a serious crisis in relations between Israel and Egypt, given that the city is located right on the Egyptian border. Cairo is trying with all its might to prevent the flow of Palestinian refugees to the Sinai Peninsula, he told Izvestia.

According to him, now Israel’s main ally, the United States, is experiencing great difficulties due to military support for the Jewish state in the war in the Gaza Strip.

– Many American universities were swept by protests demanding an end to the supply of weapons and an end to the conflict. In addition, we should not forget that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, added Asmat Mansour.

The ICC, in turn, is investigating allegations of war crimes committed since 2014, both against Palestinian forces and the Israeli military. At the same time, the Republican Party in the United States, which is considered the most pro-Israel, threatens the international court and calls for abandoning its intention to issue an arrest warrant for the Israeli leadership. Twelve Republican senators have warned of sanctions against ICC Attorney General Karim Khan, his family and staff.

As for the internal situation in Israel, the opposition did not take positively the news of the government’s decision to continue the military operation in Rafah. Thousands of protesters took to the city streets demanding a deal with Hamas to free the hostages. The lack of support for a military solution to the issue is due to the fact that during large-scale hostilities, Israelis held by Hamas could suffer.

However, even such strong pressure on Netanyahu will not prevent him from achieving his goals of destroying Hamas in the Gaza Strip, believes Farhad Ibragimov, a political scientist and teacher at the Faculty of Economics of RUDN University.

– For Netanyahu, Hamas is like a red rag to a bull, because the group violates the security of the Jewish state. It must be admitted that Hamas should have been aware of this when they carried out the attack on October 7. Without the killing of civilians and the capture of people, a fragile peace would remain, he believes.

At the same time, he notes that the cleansing of Rafah, which could last several months or even a year, will still not achieve the desired goals of the Israeli military-political leadership. Because overall, the task of ending Hamas is almost impossible. This is not just about the paramilitary wing, but about the ideology that permeates the entire population of the Gaza Strip, he concluded.