Israeli military aircraft have heavily bombed the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip accompanied with ground advances shortly after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said it had agreed to a proposal on ceasefire in Gaza.
A Palestinian journalist reported flares in the night sky, while locals said dozens of reconnaissance drones flew overhead.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa and Egyptian media said Israeli military vehicles advanced towards the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, as well as the Karem Shalom crossing with the Israeli-occupied territories.
A Palestinian security official and an Egyptian authority have told the Associated Press news agency that Israeli tanks have entered Rafah, reaching as close as 200 meters from Rafah’s border crossing with neighboring Egypt.
The Israeli military has said it was conducting “targeted strikes” against Hamas in eastern Rafah.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has also said "Israel is continuing the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas" in order to advance the release of captives and what it called "the other objectives of the war."
In the meantime, it described the proposal on ceasefire as "far from Israel's essential demands," but added that it would send negotiators for talks "to exhaust the potential for arriving at an agreement."
The military strikes on Rafah came ahead of talks in Egypt on Tuesday aimed at sealing a truce proposal accepted by Hamas, which was put forward by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
According to a copy of the proposal, there will be three phases to ending Israel’s onslaught against Gaza.
The first phase calls for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Netzarim corridor and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes. The second phase involves an announcement of a permanent cessation of military operations. In the last phase, there would be a complete end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In return, Israel would be required to release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners, withdraw its troops from certain regions of the Gaza Strip, and allow Palestinians to travel from the south of the coastal sliver to the north.
About 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in Rafah, once designated a “safe zone” by the Israeli military. Palestinians are now struggling to evacuate the city, after the Israeli military dropped leaflets ordering them to leave as a large-scale assault on the city is planned.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that a ground invasion of Rafah would be “intolerable” and called on Israel and Hamas “to go an extra mile” to reach a truce deal.
“This is an opportunity that cannot be missed, and a ground invasion in Rafah would be intolerable because of its devastating humanitarian consequences, and because of its destabilizing impact in the region,” Guterres told reporters on Monday ahead of a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in New York.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has also warned that Israel is “jeopardizing the deal by bombing Rafah.”
Comments
9/11 caused more Americans to embrace Islam.
The same thing happens here, more Truth Loving people start researching the speech of Zakir Naik and will easily embracing Islam.
Indians are more free and intelligent in deciding.
Unfortunately the RSS lead govt can detain him under pretext of so called all allegation, even without proof.
We have some blind law where innocent people become easy prey.
Such law is made to target the people who talks truth against the corrupt leaders.
Laks...Karkala.....
Every one knows you hypocrites are experts in fabricating proofs and give clean chit to criminals ...... Indians can eat indian cow meat in Gulf BUT not in India.... Go to Google and find out the names of Indians in the list of TOP CRIMINALS of the world ....Hypocrite ....
Laks, Karkala
From your frustrated comments i can understand that you are so far from the reality. Not a single proof can indian govt can show against Dr.Zakir naik. Even nobody can have the guts to have debate with zakir naik. so will wait and watch.
Laks, Zakir Naik did not trouble anyone...when he was preaching around everyone lived very happily here in India....He conveyed peace message to everyone...
Dear Altaf,
Dont teach us what to ban...Our present government have enough proof to put him behind the bar...and your lawyer is der to protect him..so leave it to court
Sitting in Doha its easy for you to comment
Basically it is not the matter of scare. In the recent years we have noticed that the Muslims are targeted & put behind bars without any evidence.
Later it is proved that the RSS goons are involved in the terror activity across the country. But they are not booked in any case.
These types of double standard Judicial System makes the Muslims to be away for certain period. I hope very soon Br. Zakir Naik we get justice & start spreading the peace message.
Mr. Zakir Naik's Preaching, Knowledge and popularity not gone well with sick minds, they cannot counter him through dialogue; obviously misuse of power is the solution!!!
Laks, Karkala
If you really wish to see that everyone in india should leave happily then you have to think about banning RSS and sangh parivar. Zakir naik never done anything so that hindus and muslim divide. He always tried to unite all religion. I think you have not listened to any of his speeches. My sincere request with you is to first listen his all complete speeches. Then come to conclusion.
Please watch the below videos. It is available in Youtube
1.Similarities between Hinduism and Islam
2.Similarities between Islam and Christianity
3.Does God Exits
4.Is terrorism a muslim monopoly
Hope after watching the above you can change your thinking from negative to positive .
Over all this is a political game with the backing of rss communal group.
Started to target peace loving INDIANS and Mr. ZN is on top of their list.
There is many more to come from religious leader to business man;social worker; leading person etc.
Instead of 5 years high court need to ban for life time... so that everyone can leave happily in India
ZN is scared..he will not come back to india.. if he was Innocent he could have came back long back ago...
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