Hamas has urged the U.S. administration and the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt the invasion of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. In a statement, Hamas condemned the attack as a dangerous escalation that violates international law and aims to worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
They emphasized that this escalation puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians at risk. Meanwhile, Israel’s military announced that it had taken control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing following an overnight attack, rendering it non-operational. In response, Hamas’ armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for attacking Israeli soldiers stationed near the crossing.
This Israeli raid occurred shortly after Hamas had approved a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar, indicating Israel’s intention to disrupt mediation efforts and the release of prisoners.