On Sunday, Hamas terrorists fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, with a significant number originating from the city of Rafah. Israel's Iron Dome defense system successfully intercepted most of the rockets, triggering alarms in Tel Aviv and other major cities.
The attack coincided with Israeli forces intensifying operations in and around Rafah, which Israel identifies as a key Hamas stronghold in Gaza. Hamas claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage, citing retaliation for alleged 'Zionist massacres against civilians.'
Amid mounting international pressure on Israel to halt its activities in Rafah, the country urged civilians to evacuate areas targeted for military operations to reduce civilian casualties. Rafah, situated on the border with Egypt, historically served as a vital conduit for humanitarian aid.
However, following Israel's assumption of control over the Gazan side of the border, Egypt refused further aid passage until Palestinian control is restored. In a diplomatic move, Egypt agreed to temporarily redirect aid traffic through Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza's primary cargo terminal, following discussions between President Biden and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
Despite hundreds of aid trucks passing through Kerem Shalom, United Nations workers encountered challenges accessing the aid due to ongoing hostilities in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, a U.S.-funded 'floating pier' off the Gaza coast sustained damage over the weekend. While the pier remains operational, adverse weather conditions caused four stabilizing vessels to detach. The U.S. invested approximately $320 million in constructing the pier, facilitating the transfer of over 569 metric tons of aid into Gaza. However, as of last week, none of this aid had reached Palestinian recipients, as confirmed by the Pentagon.
