Israeli Tanks Enter Rafah, Take Control Of Key Gaza Crossing

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it had taken “operational control” of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt and that troops were searching the area. “Yesterday evening, Israeli Defense Forces (military) units managed to gain operational control of the Gaza side of the (Rafah) border,” the military said in a press conference, adding that it was the main entry point for the delivery of relief supplies to the besieged area. Stated. “At the moment this is happening, we have operational control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing and special forces are searching the area to discover additional terrorist facilities and terrorists,” the military said. Ta. “The surgery isn’t over yet. It’s in progress.” According to the military, ground forces carried out the operation east of Rafah. “Overnight, IDF ground forces conducted precise countermeasures based on IDF and ISA (Israel Security Agency, Shin Bet) intelligence to eliminate Hamas terrorists and Hamas terrorist infrastructure in specific areas east of Rafah. launched a terrorist operation,” the statement said. The briefing said troops were engaged in “very targeted operations and very limited ranges against very specific targets” in eastern Rafah. A day after a rocket attack by extremists killed four soldiers and injured several others at the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Israel on Monday evacuated residents of East Rafah to the northwest of the city. They were ordered to move to a “humanitarian zone.” . The military said it had killed 20 militants since the operation began in eastern Rafah. Video footage has been released showing tanks crossing the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing. An Israeli flag was visible nearby, and drone footage showed several tanks. “Yesterday (Monday) we announced an evacuation and moved to a safer area,” the military said.