On Monday, Israel began its operation to take Rafah and eliminate Hamas. An evacuation of civilians from the eastern side of the city coincided with targeted strikes, signaling that the long-awaited invasion of the terrorist government's last stronghold was underway.
That came after a rocket attack killed four IDF soldiers and injured 10 more on Sunday, seeming to provide the final push over the edge for the Israelis.
Four Israeli soldiers were killed and 10 more were wounded in a Hamas-claimed rocket attack on a staging ground near the Gaza Strip on Sunday, prompting the military to shutter a key border crossing...
...Another 10 soldiers were wounded, including two soldiers of the 931st Battalion and a soldier of the Shaked Battalion who were listed in serious condition, the Israel Defense Forces said.
More than 10 rockets were fired from the Rafah area in southern Gaza in the attack, according to the IDF.
There's been a plot twist, though. Hamas has agreed to a "ceasefire."
The deal, which has been floated for months, heavily favors Hamas, freeing only a few hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian murderers and attempted murderers. Despite that, the terrorist government had steadfastly rejected the idea. It is telling that only now have they changed their mind.
The context of this appears clear. Hamas didn't want a deal when it felt like Israel wouldn't move into Rafah, with the Biden administration insisting that no invasion take place. Now that an invasion has begun, Hamas wants to call a timeout and buy themselves more time.
Should they be allowed to do so after scoffing at a possible ceasefire for months and claiming they didn't even know how many hostages remained alive? That'll be up for Israel to decide, but it would seem prudent to not play that game. This doesn't end until Hamas no longer exists, and the longer this is drawn out, the more suffering there will be long-term.
