Israel AM

IDF has taken over the Rafah crossing on the Gaza side on May 7, 2024 and is mounting targeted operations against terrorists in eastern Rafah.

The international media reported that Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal and that Israel subsequently rejected it. In truth, Hamas accepted their own version of a proposal that was totally unacceptable to Israel and the U.S. They did not accept the deal proposed by Israel and supported by the U.S., that would release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for a 6 week ceasefire and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The result of the Hamas "acceptance" and the media coverage was that Israel comes out looking like the bad guy -- just like Hamas planned.

[Hamas clearly fired those rockets at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday to draw Israel into mounting a full scale invasion of Rafah. By doing so they made it clear that they are not interested in a ceasefire or in releasing hostages. All they are interested in is to harm Israel by isolating it in the international community and making it into a pariah state -- and the easiest and quickest way for them to accomplish that is through an Israeli invasion of Rafah that leads to the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Israel has not launched a full scale invasion of Rafah. The IDF is currently just operating in a very limited and targeted manner, in order to be able to stop in the event that Hamas accepts a reasonable ceasefire proposal. Israel also wants to respect the demands of the Biden administration not to invade Rafah. But if Hamas continues to reject proposals and attack Israeli forces, Israel might have to move forward with a full push into Rafah to finish the job it started on October 8 -- the destruction of Hamas as a viable fighting force.]

The Biden administration is reportedly delaying a shipmentof thousands of weapons to Israel. For more,click here.

Drone attacks and rocket barrages against Israelcontinue in the north. The air force is responding.

The IDF announced the names of 2 soldiers killed in a drone attack on Metula on Sunday:

  • Major (res.) Dan Kamkagi, 31 years old, from Kfar Oranim, a fighter in patrol battalion 6551, half-fire formation (551).

  • Major (res.) Nahman Natan Hertz, 31 years old, from Elazar, a fighter in patrol battalion 6551, half-fire formation (551).