Israel criticises Gaza truce terms but talks go on
After a night of heavy bombardment of eastern Rafah, the Israeli army says it has seized Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt.
The crossing is a vital entry point for aid. Israeli tanks have now moved in on the area. It comes just a day after Israel ordered civilians to evacuate the areas.
Hamas recently agreed to a ceasefire but Israel says the terms which Hamas agreed to were unacceptable.
Truce talks are to resume in Cairo although hopes have quickly faded.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the deal as “far from Israel’s basic requirements.”
“Even though the Hamas proposal is far from Israel’s basic requirements, Israel will send a delegation of mediators to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement under conditions acceptable to Israel.”
Statement from the Prime Minister's Office:
The War Cabinet unanimously decided this evening Israel will continue its operation in Rafah, in order to apply military pressure on Hamas so as to advance the release of our hostages and achieve the other objectives of the war.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 6, 2024
The country’s war cabinet voted to continue operations in Rafah but is sending a delegation to the talks in Cairo.
Israel’s military warned Palestinians to evacuate eastern parts of Rafah ahead of the strikes, with more than 100,000 civilians affected by what Israel has called a “limited” operation.
Israel has long threatened an offensive against Hamas hold-outs in the city of 1.4 million people, many of whom have sought refuge there from Israeli offensives in other parts of Gaza.
