What's happened
The Israeli army is reinforcing its positions in the Gaza Strip, preparing for a potential ground assault on Rafah and the Hamas brigades. This move has raised global alarm due to the risk it poses to over a million Palestinian civilians seeking shelter in the area.
Why it matters
The Israeli army's reinforcement and potential ground assault in Gaza have significant implications for the safety of Palestinian civilians and the ongoing conflict in the region. The international community is closely monitoring the situation to prevent further humanitarian crises and casualties.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports that Israel is under pressure from allies and neighboring countries to consider the humanitarian impact of its actions, while The Independent highlights the opposition from global powers like the US. Axios provides insights into the negotiations between Israel and Egypt regarding a possible ground invasion of Rafah.
How we got here
Tensions have been escalating in the Gaza Strip, with Israel planning a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah. The presence of displaced Palestinian civilians in the area has added complexity to the situation, prompting concerns about the potential humanitarian crisis that could unfold.
Common question
More on these topics
-
Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. It is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers south of Gaza City. Rafah's population of 152,950 is overwhelmingly made up of former Palestinian refugees.
-
Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
-
The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.
-
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
-
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs, are an ethnonational group comprising the modern descendants of the peoples who have lived in Palestine continuously over the centuries and who today are largely culturally and
-
Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.