Israel Begins Ground Operations in Clear Genocidal Move to Force Palestinians to Evacuate Gaza or Die

Nothing underscores the criminality and genocidal intent of the U.S.-backed Israeli Zionists more horribly than the evacuation orders they delivered to the people of Rafah on May 6. The Israeli military has now announced that it has taken "operational control" of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, the only point of exit and entry between Gaza and Egypt. A spokeswoman of the military said that its 401st Armoured Brigade captured the crossing in southern Gaza on the morning of May 7, following an overnight military operation. 

The Times of Israel reported that several families of captives held in Gaza have blocked Tel Aviv's major Begin Road, demanding Israel agree to a hostage release deal. Addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the mother of one of the captives reportedly told Israel's Channel 12: "The government and war cabinet should accept the [ceasefire] deal. We need our hostages home. Every last one." She added, "The streets will burn, the country will burn. You can't play like this with people's lives."

The Palestinian Resistance organizations issued a joint statement condemning the Israeli incursion in Rafah. It says that the closure of vital crossings and the execution of military operations in Rafah are seen as indicative of the occupation's intent to perpetrate further atrocities and cause an even greater humanitarian catastrophe. The actions of the Israel Defense Forces, the statement points out, amount to a humanitarian catastrophe impacting 2.5 million Palestinian citizens in Gaza, with particular concern for over 1.5 million forcibly displaced individuals, including 400,000 recently forced to flee from areas previously deemed "safe." In their joint statement, the Palestinian organizations call for immediate international intervention to prevent further loss of life and to address what they describe as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

Israel closes Rafah border crossing

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This article was published in

Volume 54 Number 31 - May 8, 2024

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54313.HTM

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