CAIRO. Israeli forces have taken full control of the buffer zone along the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt, the Israeli military confirmed on Wednesday, granting Israel effective authority over Gaza’s entire land border.
Despite a directive from the International Court of Justice to cease its attacks, Israel has continued its deadly raids on Rafah in southern Gaza. Half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents had previously sought refuge in Rafah, only to face renewed violence.
In a televised briefing, chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced that Israeli forces had gained “operational” control over the “Philadelphi Corridor,” a 14-kilometer-long (9-mile) stretch along Gaza’s sole border with Egypt. “The Philadelphi Corridor served as an oxygen line for Hamas, which it regularly used to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip,” Hagari explained. Hamas is the armed Palestinian group governing the blockaded territory.
While Hagari did not detail what “operational” control entailed, an Israeli military official mentioned earlier that there were Israeli “boots on the ground” along parts of the corridor. Previously, the southern border with Egypt was the only land boundary of Gaza not directly controlled by Israel.
On Wednesday, Israeli tanks conducted raids into Rafah, penetrating deep into the city for the first time on Tuesday despite the UN court’s order to halt the assault. The World Court criticized Israel for not explaining how it would ensure the safety and basic needs of Rafah evacuees. The court’s ruling also demanded that Hamas release hostages taken from Israel on October 7 unconditionally and immediately.
Residents of Rafah reported Israeli tanks pushing into Tel Al-Sultan in the west and Yibna and near Shaboura in the center before retreating to a buffer zone along the Egypt border. “We received distress calls from residents in Tel Al-Sultan where drones targeted displaced citizens as they moved toward safe areas,” said Haitham al Hams, deputy director of ambulance and emergency services in Rafah.
Palestinian health officials reported that 19 civilians were killed in Israeli airstrikes and shelling across Gaza. Israel accused Hamas militants of hiding among civilians, a claim denied by Gaza’s ruling Islamist group.
Health Minister Majed Abu Raman urged Washington to pressure Israel into opening the Rafah crossing to aid, noting that patients in besieged Gaza were dying for lack of treatment. “There was no indication that Israeli authorities would do so soon,” he said.
Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s National Security Adviser, indicated that fighting in Gaza would persist throughout 2024, signaling Israel’s refusal to end the conflict until its objectives were met. “The fighting in Rafah is not a pointless war,” Hanegbi asserted, emphasizing Israel’s goal to end Hamas rule in Gaza and stop its attacks on Israel.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken advised Israel to develop a post-war plan for Gaza to prevent lawlessness and chaos. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, reiterated its opposition to a major ground offensive in Rafah while acknowledging that such an operation was not currently underway.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 36,000 Palestinian deaths in Israel’s ongoing offensive. Israel launched its war following Hamas-led militants’ October 7 attack on southern Israeli communities, which resulted in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages being taken.
Ceasefire Negotiations in Limbo
No updates were provided on Wednesday regarding ceasefire and hostage release talks. Hamas stated that negotiations were futile unless Israel ended its offensive on Rafah.
Hamas and allied Islamic Jihad claimed to have countered Israeli forces in Rafah with anti-tank rockets, mortar bombs, and explosive devices. The Israeli military reported three soldiers killed and three severely wounded, with public broadcaster Kan radio confirming an explosive device detonation in Rafah.
Palestinian health officials reported injuries from Israeli fire and aid stores set ablaze in eastern Rafah. Many homes were destroyed due to Israeli bombardment in areas ordered evacuated by Israel.
According to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, around one million Palestinians who sought shelter in Rafah have now fled following Israeli evacuation orders.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) evacuated its medical teams from the Al-Mawasi area due to ongoing bombardments, with two staff members killed when an ambulance was hit during a rescue mission. Another airstrike in Gaza City killed five Palestinians, and an overnight strike in Khan Younis killed three, including a former senior Hamas police officer.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
