Israel defies international censure and orders more Palestinians to evacuate Rafah

Israel engaged in new conflicts against Hamas in the northern area of Gaza and instructed many additional individuals to evacuate Rafah while broadening its attack on the crowded southern city, regardless of disapproval from the international community.

On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces utilized social media to advise Palestinians residing near the central region of Rafah and two refugee camps to vacate those areas. The IDF suggested that they relocate to a designated "humanitarian area" along the coast.

On Saturday night, the main IDF spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated that our activities against Hamas in Rafah have a narrow sphere of influence. We concentrate on strategic progress, adapting to situations as they arise, and positioning ourselves for military superiority. Our operations steer clear of populated districts.

According to the United Nations, nearly 150,000 individuals have left Rafah after Israel sent ground troops to the eastern part of the city on May 6 and captured the crucial border crossing with Egypt. The Israeli Defense Forces state that around 300,000 people have vacated the region, where over 1 million homeless Palestinians lived before.

The Israeli Defence Force has stated that it is still conducting raids on "Hamas terrorist sites" in the northern region of Jabalia and the Zeitoun district of Gaza City. Both Israelis and Palestinians have reported intense clashes through their social media.

Israeli military experts expressed disapproval of the decision to launch new attacks on two neighbourhoods in Gaza where Hamas forces had returned. The government led by Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to propose a viable strategy for establishing a new government in Gaza following the war, which would take over from Hamas leadership. This has attracted criticism in the media.

The recent assault by the IDF on Rafah has made it difficult for diplomatic endeavors to reach an agreement that would ensure the liberation of captives imprisoned by Hamas in Gaza, in addition to terminating the ongoing conflict. Furthermore, this action has strained Israel's relationship with the Biden administration.

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, informed Israel that they will not receive particular weapons that are used for aggressive purposes if they go through with a complete attack on Rafah.

The United States has temporarily stopped sending certain weapons to Israel, such as 3,500 bombs, as they are worried about how they might be used in the city. This is the first instance where the US has imposed any limitations on providing arms to Israel since the conflict in Gaza began after Hamas's assault on October 7.

Antony Blinken, who is currently serving as the US secretary of state, recently stated that the US would not be able to back a significant military undertaking in Rafah without a reliable strategy in place to safeguard civilian lives. In an interview with CBS News, he emphasized that they have not yet come across any such plan.

On Sunday, UK's foreign secretary, Lord David Cameron, cautioned Israel about the potential harm the Rafah operation could cause to innocent civilians. However, he declined the suggestion of imposing a prohibition on weapon sales to Israel.

During an interview with Sky News, Cameron expressed his belief that stopping the sales of weapons would not be a prudent decision. According to him, such a move could end up bolstering Hamas, while simultaneously debilitating Israel. Additionally, he feels that this would only diminish the chances of successful hostage negotiations.

The western states and UN aid organizations have cautioned that a strike on Rafah, an area full of makeshift housing and people who have been evicted from other parts of the region due to conflicts, would be a catastrophe for the humanitarian situation. The Israel-Hamas conflict has caused massive destruction in Gaza, displacing about 80 percent of the area's 2.3 million inhabitants and posing the risk of famine and illness.

Discussions that involved the US, Qatar, and Egypt with the aim of settling a hostage and ceasefire agreement halted recently after the facilitators were unable to reduce the differences between the opposing sides on the conditions for the deal. Moreover, Israel launched an attack on Rafah.

Egypt announced on Sunday that it will officially support South Africa's complaint filed against Israel for committing genocide at the International Court of Justice based in The Hague.

According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, the resolution was made due to the increased aggression by Israel towards Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They mentioned that Israel has a persistent pattern of demolishing infrastructure in the area, displacing the local population, and pushing them off their own land.

According to analyst Michael Wahid Hanna from the International Crisis Group, Egypt's recent action, which occurred over four months after South Africa's filing, was motivated by their frustration with Israel's military operations in Rafah. Hanna also noted that Israel's capture of the Rafah crossing with Egypt reduces Cairo's power and influence.

Israel claims that it must persist with its operation against Hamas, stating that the extremist faction's four remaining undamaged battalions are located in the southern urban area.

Despite growing international isolation, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu remains unfazed by calls from far-right members of his coalition to continue the fighting. He has disregarded US pressure to push for a ceasefire, instead opting to maintain a tough stance.

The leader of Israel recently made a statement indicating that their country would be independent and not receive aid from others. Additionally, they emphasized that they would defend themselves fiercely, even if it meant resorting to desperate measures.

According to Israeli officials, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made a promise to eliminate Hamas and achieve "complete victory" after the group carried out an attack on Israel in October. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the capture of 250 hostages. Currently, there are 130 individuals, including foreign nationals, who are still being held captive, but Israeli intelligence has confirmed the deaths of several dozen of them.

Palestinian health officials report that nearly 35,000 individuals have lost their lives as a result of Israel’s counterattack on Gaza.

Netanyahu has emphasized that Israel must continue to exert military force on Hamas while also engaging in diplomatic measures to secure the release of the hostages.

On Thursday, John Kirby, the spokesman for national security in the US, stated that the US government thinks that carrying out a significant ground operation in Rafah would only serve to make Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, more powerful.

"He now has more evidence to support his distorted story," he remarked.

More information was added to this article thanks to Aime Williams, a reporter based in Washington.