According to reports by AFP and Haaretz Daily, the Israeli military launched an airstrike on Rafah, the southernmost part of the densely populated Palestinian refugee area in the Gaza Strip on the 28th, killing 21 people. Although the Israeli military denied the airstrike, tensions continued to escalate. Meanwhile, the United States continues to show its unwavering support for Israel.
According to the report, a Gaza Strip civil defense official from Hamas claimed that at least 21 people were killed in an Israeli military airstrike in a refugee camp west of Rafah. In a subsequent statement, the Israeli military denied the claim, stating, “Contrary to reports over the past few hours, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) did not attack the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi.”
On the 26th, an explosion occurred in a Rafah refugee camp, killing 45 people.
The Israeli military indicated at that time that they had just targeted a senior Hamas official with two bombs, but nearby weapons caused a secondary explosion, which likely increased the number of casualties.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on the 28th that the Israeli military had moved several tanks into the center of Rafah. A large-scale ground battle in Rafah is known to be an act corresponding to the “red line” that President Joe Biden of the United States has forbidden.
However, the U.S. government maintained that Israel’s entry was not large-scale and that there were no issues as many civilians had evacuated. John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Advisor, explained in a briefing that they “have not seen a large-scale ground operation” and that there is “no possibility” of changing the policy stance towards Israel.
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