Ceasefire Talks Resume Amid Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis
Battles and bombardments ensued on the outskirts of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, while Israel announced the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing point for aid.
The Israeli military disclosed that its forces had eliminated Hamas fighters in the eastern sector of Rafah city as part of a meticulously executed counter-terrorism operation. Additionally, Hamas reported clashes, as documented by the BBC.
Previously, the military had reported the arrival of trucks at Kerem Shalom, a vital aid conduit shuttered following Sunday's rocket attack.
Nonetheless, a United Nations agency conveyed that no provisions had yet traversed the crossing point.
On Tuesday, the UN voiced apprehensions regarding what it termed Israel's "blockade" of Gaza's primary aid arteries, following Israeli troops' assumption of complete control over the Palestinian segment of the Rafah crossing point, adjacent to Egypt.
Simultaneously, negotiations for a renewed ceasefire and hostage release resumed in Cairo, with the United States indicating optimism that a revised proposal from Hamas could pave the way for progress.
Moreover, the Israeli military downplayed the significance of the US government's decision to halt a shipment of potent munitions, amid concerns of an impending major offensive in Rafah city.
After seven months of conflict with Hamas in Gaza, Israel maintained that victory was unattainable without the capture of Rafah city. However, given the presence of over a million displaced Palestinians seeking refuge there due to conflicts elsewhere, the UN and Western powers cautioned that a full-scale assault could yield devastating humanitarian repercussions.
Columns of smoke resulting from Israeli airstrikes loomed above Rafah, accompanied by intense gunfire on Wednesday, while the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) affirmed the continuation of a limited offensive in the eastern sectors.
An IDF statement elucidated that they had neutralised terrorists and uncovered terrorist infrastructure, including subterranean facilities, in various locations during multiple encounters on the preceding day. Furthermore, they conducted raids on the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing point.
Additionally, the IDF reported that aircraft had targeted over 100 "terrorist sites" in Gaza over the course of the previous day.
Residents of Rafah reported relentless bombardments overnight, with video footage from Wednesday morning depicting individuals sifting through the rubble of a demolished structure following one of the attacks.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
