Rafah battles intensify as Israel takes over Gaza-Egypt border strip

Rafah battles intensify as Israel takes over Gaza-Egypt border strip
Palestinian women mourn relatives killed in Israeli bombardment as they sit by their displacement tent in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 29, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians. (AFP)
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Updated 30 May 2024
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Rafah battles intensify as Israel takes over Gaza-Egypt border strip

Rafah battles intensify as Israel takes over Gaza-Egypt border strip
  • The Israeli military launched its incursion into Rafah in early May despite international objections over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there

RAFAH: Rafah residents reported intense artillery shelling and gunfire Thursday in Gaza’s far-southern city after Israel said it had seized a strategic corridor on the Palestinian territory’s border with Egypt.
The Israeli military launched its incursion into Rafah in early May despite international objections over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.
A strike over the weekend that started a fire and killed dozens in a displacement camp drew a wave of fresh condemnation, including a social media campaign with the slogan “All eyes on Rafah” that has been shared by tens of millions of users.
Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced Israel had taken “operational control” of the narrow border area, where he said troops had “discovered around 20 tunnels.”
Egypt, a longtime mediator in the conflict which has become increasingly vocal in its criticism of the Israeli operation, has rejected claims of smuggling tunnels running beneath the buffer zone.
“Israel is using these allegations to justify continuing the operation on the Palestinian city of Rafah and prolonging the war for political purposes,” a high-level Egyptian source was quoted as saying by state-linked Al-Qahera News.
Egyptian officials have said a potential Israeli takeover of Philadelphi could violate the two countries’ landmark 1979 peace deal, though there has been no official comment from Cairo since the military’s announcement.
On a visit in Beijing, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called for increased humanitarian assistance to besieged Gaza, and reiterated his country’s longstanding opposition to “any attempt at forcing Palestinians to forcibly flee their land.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, meanwhile, called on Thursday for a “broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference” to address the war, as he hosted Arab leaders including El-Sisi.
On the ground in the Gaza Strip, witnesses reported fighting in central and western Rafah.
Witnesses also said Israeli forces had demolished several buildings in the city’s eastern areas where the Israeli incursion began on May 7, initially focusing on the vital Rafah border crossing, a key entry point for humanitarian aid.

An AFP correspondent reported artillery and gunfire in Gaza City’s southern neighborhood of Zeitun, in the territory’s north, where witnesses saw thick plumes of smoke rising over Jabalia refugee camp and Beit Lahia.
A steady stream of civilians have fled Rafah, transporting their belongings on their shoulders, in cars or on donkey-drawn carts.
Before the Rafah offensive began, the United Nations said up to 1.4 million people were sheltering there. Since then, one million have fled the area, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported late Wednesday that two of its paramedics “were killed as a result of the Israeli occupation’s direct bombing” of an ambulance near Rafah.
The weekend Israeli strike and ensuing fire which tore through the camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, killed 45 people, according to Gaza officials and has prompted two days of discussions at the UN Security Council.
Israel has said it targeted a Hamas compound and killed two senior members.
In the wake of the strike, Algeria presented a draft UN resolution that “demands an immediate ceasefire respected by all parties” and the release of all hostages, but it was not clear when it would be put to a vote.
In a phone call with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday, France’s Emmanuel Macron said Paris was “determined to work with Algeria” to ensure the council “makes a strong statement on Rafah.”
He also called on Abbas to “implement necessary reforms,” offering the “prospect of recognition of the state of Palestine.”
Decisions by Spain, Norway and Ireland to formally recognize the State of Palestine this week have sparked a debate over the issue, and Macron said it should take place at a “useful moment.”
Israel’s has killed at least 36,171 people in Gaza since October 7, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said the war could go on until the year’s end.
“We may have another seven months of fighting to consolidate our success and achieve what we have defined as the destruction of Hamas’s power and military capabilities,” Hanegbi said.
The United States has been among the countries urging Israel to refrain from a full-scale Rafah offensive because of the risk to civilians.
However, the White House said Tuesday that so far it had not seen Israel cross President Joe Biden’s “red lines.”
The New York Times and CNN, citing weapons experts and analysis of video from the scene of the weekend Rafah strike, reported that the bomb believed to have started the fatal fire was a US-made GBU-39 guided munition.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to quickly devise a post-war strategy for Gaza, stressing: “In the absence of a plan for the day after, there won’t be a day after.”


Reassured ‘for now’, Aleppo’s Christians prepare for Christmas

Reassured ‘for now’, Aleppo’s Christians prepare for Christmas
Updated 4 sec ago
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Reassured ‘for now’, Aleppo’s Christians prepare for Christmas

Reassured ‘for now’, Aleppo’s Christians prepare for Christmas
  • The country’s new rulers have sought to reassure Syria’s religious minorities
  • In multi-confessional Syria, Catholic and Orthodox Christmas and Easter holidays have always been marked
ALEPPO, Syria: For the Catholic Marist Brothers of Aleppo, one of nearly a dozen Christian communities in Syria’s second city, today’s most pressing question is how to decorate the Christmas tree.
In the days since a lightning offensive spearheaded by Islamist militants overthrew former president Bashar Assad, the country’s new rulers have sought to reassure Syria’s religious minorities.
The efforts have been successful, at least “for now,” said Brother Georges Sabe, who took part earlier this week in a meeting between militants and local Christian representatives.
It was the second since the December 8 capture of the capital Damascus.
“They were very reassuring,” he said.
“’Continue to live normally, you’re coming up to your Christmas holiday, nothing will change for you,’” he said he was told.
“So far, nothing has changed,” he added.
Assad, a member of Syria’s Alawite minority, sought to present his government as a protector of secularism and the country’s many confessions though government intolerance for dissent extended to all groups.
During the civil war, militants routinely repressed minority groups.
Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, the Islamist group that led Assad’s overthrow, has its roots in Syria’s branch of Al-Qaeda, though it has sought to moderate its rhetoric.
Sabe noted that the representatives of the new government he met — “three fighters and two politicians” — were all from Aleppo.
“One of them was finishing his doctorate in mechanical engineering before the war. He told us that he’d had a Christian neighbor.”
So, the community has resumed “normal life, with morning and evening masses,” and Christmas decorations are going up, he added.
“During 13 years of war, I learned to live day by day. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
In multi-confessional Syria, Catholic and Orthodox Christmas and Easter holidays have always been marked, along with the new year.
The community has been hard hit by emigration during the civil war. Of the approximately 200,000 Christians who lived in Aleppo before 2011, just 30,000 remain in the city, according to community leaders.
But it remains fully integrated and considers itself Syrian before anything else.
“We don’t want to go, we want to stay on good terms with the Muslims. We speak the same language,” insisted Sabe.
So far, a promise to allow churches to continue ringing their bells has been kept, and they sound at dusk to mark mass at the Church of Saint Francis, also known as the Latin Cathedral.
“People here have a deep spiritual sense,” explained Father Bahjat as several dozen parishioners arrived for the service.
“During all the years of war, they never stopped coming to church.”
He said he could understand why some have expressed concern, especially abroad.
“On the ground, we didn’t see any acts of discrimination, so we are full of hope that our people will coexist in peace,” he said.
Marina Ayoub was arriving for mass as usual. She said she never misses a service, as they give her “hope.”
“The bishop has told us that he is not worried and that we can continue to come as usual, and celebrate our masses and holidays.”
Opposite the church sits a property that had been occupied by the ruling Baath party and has now been reclaimed by the community.
The Vatican flag hangs outside, and the new government has told Christians that church property will not be touched.
The decision by the head of the transitional government to appear before an Islamist flag earlier this week sparked some fears.
“But the next day, during an interview with Al Jazeera, it had disappeared,” Sabe noted.
“That shows that they are ready for dialogue.”
Still, among some in the community there are concerns.
“They say that they will respect all faiths... but I’m waiting to see,” said one worshipper, who spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the subject.
“I’ll judge them by their actions.”
He said he was watching for “little signs.” noting that restaurants in Aleppo were no longer openly serving alcohol.
“They hide it,” he said.
For now, the Marist Brothers charitable association is focusing on preparations for a concert it will put on for 120 Muslim children it helps.
“They are poor and displaced by the war,” said Mariam Arab as she debated how best to decorate the Christmas tree.
“The most important thing is to find a way to cheer them up.”

Top militant leader Golani urges Syrians to take to streets and celebrate ‘victory of the revolution’

Top militant leader Golani urges Syrians to take to streets and celebrate ‘victory of the revolution’
Updated 23 min 30 sec ago
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Top militant leader Golani urges Syrians to take to streets and celebrate ‘victory of the revolution’

Top militant leader Golani urges Syrians to take to streets and celebrate ‘victory of the revolution’
  • Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham leader Abu Mohammed Al-Golani is now using his real name Ahmed Al-Sharaa
  • His call comes ahead of the first Friday prayers since Syria’s new leadership took control

DAMASCUS: The leader of the Islamist militants that seized power in Syria last week called on people to take to the streets to celebrate “the victory of the revolution” on Friday.
“I would like to congratulate the great Syrian people on the victory of the blessed revolution and I call on them to go to the streets to express their joy,” said Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, who is now using his real name Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
The leader of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham group was wearing a dark waistcoat, a white shirt and a watch in the video message shared on Telegram.
His call comes ahead of the first Friday prayers since Syria’s new leadership took control. During the early days of Syria’s uprising in 2011, protesters would usually gather after Friday prayers.
He is set to attend Friday prayers at Damascus’s landmark Umayyad mosque.
Militant forces led by HTS launched a lightning offensive last month, taking control of Damascus and ousting president Bashar Assad in less than two weeks.
On Tuesday, they appointed an interim prime minister to lead Syria until March.


Blinken sees ‘encouraging signs’ on reaching Gaza ceasefire

Blinken sees ‘encouraging signs’ on reaching Gaza ceasefire
Updated 36 min 26 sec ago
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Blinken sees ‘encouraging signs’ on reaching Gaza ceasefire

Blinken sees ‘encouraging signs’ on reaching Gaza ceasefire
  • Blinken called on Turkiye to influence Hamas to achieve the exchange deal and ceasefire in Gaza

ANKARA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that he saw “encouraging signs” of progress toward a ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip on a visit to Ankara.

“We discussed Gaza, and we discussed I think the opportunity... to get a ceasefire in place. And what we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks are more encouraging signs that that is possible,” Blinken said after meeting Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Blinken called on Turkiye to influence Hamas to achieve the exchange deal and ceasefire in Gaza and said US wants to see Syria in a completely different direction than it was.

“In my discussions with President Erdogan and with Minister Fidan we talked about the imperative of Hamas saying yes to the (Gaza) agreement that's possible to finally help bring this to an end,” Blinken said.

“We appreciate very much the role that Turkiye can play in using its voice with Hamas, to try to bring this to conclusion.”

Blinken also discussed efforts toward a Gaza ceasefire when he arrived in Jordan on Thursday on what was his 12th visit to the Middle East since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.


Israeli strike on Gaza post office kills 30 Palestinians

Israeli strike on Gaza post office kills 30 Palestinians
Updated 54 min 30 sec ago
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Israeli strike on Gaza post office kills 30 Palestinians

Israeli strike on Gaza post office kills 30 Palestinians
  • Medics say post office was sheltering displaced Palestinians

CAIRO: An Israeli strike on a post office sheltering Gaza residents killed at least 30 Palestinians and wounded 50, medics said, and the Israeli military said on Friday it had been targeting a senior Islamic Jihad member.
Families displaced by the 14-month-old conflict had sought refuge in the postal facility in the Nuseirat camp, and the strike late on Thursday brought the day’s death toll in the enclave to 66, the medics said.
Israel said its target was an Islamic Jihad leader of attacks on Israeli civilians and troops and accused the militant group of exploiting civilian infrastructure and population as a human shield for its activities.
An Israeli military statement said it was reviewing reports on the number of casualties.
Nuseirat is one of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic camps originally for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war around the establishment of Israel. Today, it is part of a dense urban area crowded with displaced people from throughout the enclave.
Earlier on Thursday, two Israeli strikes in southern Gaza killed 13 Palestinians who Gaza medics and Hamas said were part of a force protecting humanitarian aid trucks. Israel’s military said they were Hamas militants trying to hijack the shipment.
Many of those killed in the attacks on Rafah and Khan Younis had links to Hamas, according to sources close to the militant group.
The Israeli military said in a statement the two airstrikes aimed to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and accused Hamas members of planning to prevent the aid from reaching Gaza civilians who need it.
Armed gangs have repeatedly hijacked aid trucks, and Hamas has formed a task force to confront them. The Hamas-led forces have killed over two dozen members of the gangs in recent months, Hamas sources and medics said.
Hamas said Israeli military strikes have killed at least 700 police tasked with securing aid trucks in Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023.
Separately, the Israeli military on Thursday ordered residents of several districts in the heart of Gaza City to evacuate, saying it would respond to rockets fired from those areas. At nightfall on Thursday, dozens of families streamed out of the areas heading toward the center of the city.
Months of ceasefire efforts by Arab mediators, Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, have failed to conclude a deal between the two warring sides.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in Tel Aviv on Thursday he believed a deal on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release may be close as Israel had signalled it was ready and there were signs of movement from Hamas.
The war in the Palestinian enclave began after Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages back to Hamas-run Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, Israel’s military has levelled swathes of Gaza, driving nearly all of its 2.3 million people from their homes, giving rise to deadly hunger and disease and killing more than 44,800 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.


Israel orders troops to ‘prepare to remain’ in Syria buffer zone through winter

Israel orders troops to ‘prepare to remain’ in Syria buffer zone through winter
Updated 30 min 28 sec ago
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Israel orders troops to ‘prepare to remain’ in Syria buffer zone through winter

Israel orders troops to ‘prepare to remain’ in Syria buffer zone through winter
  • ‘Due to the situation in Syria, it is of critical security importance to maintain our presence at the summit of Mount Hermon’

JERUSALEM: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to “prepare to remain” throughout the winter in the UN-patrolled buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces on the strategic Golan Heights.

Israel seized the demilitarized zone on Sunday, just hours after Syrian rebels swept president Bashar Assad from power.

Since then, the Israeli military has launched hundreds of air and naval strikes against Syrian military assets, targeting everything from chemical weapons stores to air defenses to prevent them from falling into rebel hands.

The plan to deploy troops in the buffer zone comes at a time when Israeli forces are still withdrawing from southern Lebanon after fighting Hezbollah militants for months and the war in Gaza with Palestinian militants continues.

“Due to the situation in Syria, it is of critical security importance to maintain our presence at the summit of Mount Hermon, and everything must be done to ensure the (army’s) readiness on-site to enable the fighters to stay there despite the challenging weather conditions,” Katz’s spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

Israel says it seized the buffer zone to defend itself.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday that the collapse of Assad’s rule had created a “vacuum on Israel’s border and in the buffer zone.”

“This deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 (armistice) agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.”

Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

It held onto the territory during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and in 1981 annexed the area in a move since recognized only by the United States.

Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone has triggered widespread international criticism, including from UN chief Antonio Guterres.

Guterres “is deeply concerned by the recent and extensive violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on Thursday.

“The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli air strikes on several locations in Syria.”

The UN says Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone violates the 1974 armistice.

Guterres urges “the parties to the agreement to uphold their obligations under this instrument, including by ending all unauthorized presence in the area of separation and refraining from any action that would undermine the ceasefire and stability in Golan,” Dujarric said.

Israel’s key military ally the United States has called for the Israeli incursion to be “temporary.”

Analysts say Israel is concerned that any remaining stocks of chemical or other strategic weapons that Assad’s forces had held onto could fall into the hands of jihadist groups, who might use them against it.