Hamas launched a barrage of rockets targeting a humanitarian corridor in southern Israel. At least ten individuals are believed to be wounded.
Hamas claimed responsibility on Sunday for firing rockets toward Kerem Shalom, a key border crossing in southern Israel used to transport humanitarian aid into Gaza. Several individuals reportedly suffered serious injuries and are in critical condition.
The Israel Defense Forces released footage of the Hamas rocket attack and said the incident is “another clear example of the systematic exploitation that the Hamas terror organization makes of humanitarian facilities and spaces for terror needs, while using the civilian population as a human shield.”
Hamas said it was targeting Israeli troops in the area without confirming where it fired the rockets from. More than ten rockets were fired toward Israel from Rafah, a city in southern Gaza bordering Egypt, the IDF said.
Israel responded to the rockets by striking the rocket launchers and a nearby Hamas outpost in Rafah. The IDF also temporarily closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Other humanitarian corridors remain open for food and aid to be delivered to Gazan civilians.
Hamas’s rocket barrage took place as Israel prepares to invade Rafah to further its military campaign against Hamas amid negotiations over a temporary cease-fire. CIA Director William Burns traveled to Cairo, Egypt, over the weekend to further discuss a framework for exchanging hostages held captive by Hamas as part of a cease-fire agreement. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas last week to accept the “very generous” cease-fire proposal.
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant took a trip to central Gaza on Sunday and said Hamas was not interested in a deal to return the hostages. Gallant also emphasized the IDF’s preparedness when it comes time to invade Rafah. The area is considered to be Hamas’s last major foothold in the Gaza Strip.
“We have identified alarming signs that Hamas actually does not intend to go for any agreement framework with us,” Gallant told IDF troops.
President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation last month providing roughly $26 billion of military aid to Israel and humanitarian aid to the Gaza territory. The Biden administration has voiced its opposition to Israel’s plan to invade Rafah as it facilitates the ongoing cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
For the first time since Hamas’s civilian massacre on October 7, the Biden administration reportedly held up a weapons shipment to Israel last week. It’s unclear if the decision was made because of the White House’s disagreements with Israel’s military strategy.