The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Tuesday that it has gained operational control on the Gazan side of the Rafah Crossing.
As per the IDF, an overnight operation saw the IDF’s Division 162, Brigade 401, and Givati Brigade fight Hamas terrorists to take control of the area surrounding the Rafah border crossing. Troops were met with an explosive device, car bomb, and gunfire, but no Israeli casualties were reported. In total, 20 Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the operation, and three terror tunnels were located and destroyed.
In response, Egypt, whose long history of refusing Gazan entry from their side of the crossing supersedes them, “vehemently” condemned Israel’s taking over the area.
“Egypt vehemently denounces the Israeli military operation in Palestinian Rafah, which resulted in Israel taking control of the Palestinian side of the border,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday. “Egypt considers this to be a dangerous escalation that risks the lives of more than a million Palestinians that depend primarily on this crossing.”
Other regional Arab powers joined Egypt in denouncing Israel’s takeover, with the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia issuing a statement cautioning against the “dangers” of continuing to fight against Hamas regiments in Rafah. It also charged Israel with “blatant violations” of international law and issued a demand for an immediate end to the war. Meanwhile, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz accused Israel once again of carrying out “war crimes.”
“By carrying out a ground attack on Rafah, just a day after Hamas approved Qatar and Egypt’s proposal for a ceasefire deal, Israel has added another to the war crimes it has committed in Palestinian territories since October 7,” Yilmaz wrote on X.
