Israel Says It Struck Rafah as a Diversion to Rescue Hostages

Israel’s army mentioned early Monday that it had performed a “wave of attacks” on the Gazan metropolis of Rafah that was meant to divert consideration as troopers efficiently freed two hostages held by Hamas. Native information retailers reported that no less than a dozen Palestinians had been killed within the airstrikes.

The strikes, the most recent in a collection carried out by Israel in Rafah in current weeks, fueled concern and panic among the many greater than 1,000,000 Palestinians who’ve crowded into Gaza’s southernmost metropolis, searching for refuge from Israeli army actions farther north. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Sunday that the army would quickly enter Rafah, which is bracketed by a closed Egyptian border.

At 1:49 a.m. native time, Israeli particular forces broke right into a constructing the place the 2 hostages have been being held, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari mentioned at a information convention. A couple of minute later, Israeli forces fired on close by buildings, creating cowl for the troopers to securely carry the hostages out and take them again to Israel, he mentioned.

Wafa, the information company for the Palestinian Authority, mentioned that no less than a dozen folks had been killed by the airstrikes, citing native well being authorities. Pictures and movies on social media, which couldn’t instantly be verified, confirmed injured folks and harm to buildings in Rafah.

Information retailers reported lethal assaults on two mosques in Rafah and mentioned folks have been being taken to Kuwait Hospital within the metropolis. Neither the toll nor the Israeli account might be instantly verified.

Mr. Netanyahu has ignored warnings from Israel’s most necessary allies, together with the US and Britain, to not proceed with the plan to ship troops into Rafah, saying that Israel had no alternative however to complete its assault on Hamas, which it says is hiding among the many civilians in Rafah.

The United Nations and assist teams have repeatedly warned that an advance on Rafah could be devastating to civilians and danger exacerbating a disaster that’s already unfolding, with the residents operating low on meals, clear water and medication. The folks in Rafah, a lot of whom have already fled their houses no less than as soon as to flee Israeli assaults for the reason that begin of the warfare, have nowhere else to go, the United Nations and assist teams have mentioned.

On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu promised to supply Palestinians “safe passage” to northern areas of Gaza earlier than the deliberate floor invasion, although he provided no particulars.

The warnings of a floor invasion have additionally sparked tensions with Israel’s neighbor, Egypt, close to whose border a number of the current strikes have occurred. Egypt has warned of “dire consequences” if the operation proceeds, whereas ruling out opening its border to let massive numbers of displaced Palestinians take non permanent refuge on its territory.

A flurry of diplomatic exercise in current days geared toward reaching a cease-fire settlement has had no outcomes to this point. On Wednesday, Mr. Netanyahu spurned a suggestion from Hamas to free Israeli hostages in alternate for Israel withdrawing from Gaza, abiding by a long-term cease-fire and liberating Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Requested throughout an interview broadcast on Sunday how lots of the remaining hostages have been nonetheless alive, Mr. Netanyahu mentioned, “Enough to warrant the kind of efforts that we’re doing.”