[News] Palestinian factions condemn IOF invasion of Rafah

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/palestinian-factions-condemn-iof-invasion-of-rafah>
Palestinian factions condemn IOF invasion of Rafah
Al Mayadeen English
May 7, 2024
------------------------------

Palestinian factions have united in a joint statement to condemn the recent
invasion of Rafah by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), highlighting the
destruction of the Rafah crossing and the closure of the Karem Abu Salem
crossing.
[image: 8f11dce0-9ae7-4b4e-a304-1fa60df81f4c.jpeg]

   - In this image grab from a video released by the army, Israeli tanks
   are seen invading the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between
   Egypt and Gaza, the main entry point for aid deliveries to the besieged
   territory. (*AFP*)

Palestinian factions have issued a joint statement condemning the recent
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) invasion of Rafah, particularly
highlighting the destruction of the Rafah crossing
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iof-invasion-of-rafah-results-in-halt-of-passenger-and-aid-t>
and the closure of the Karem Abu Salem crossing.

IOF actions, they assert, amount to a humanitarian catastrophe impacting
2.5 million Palestinian citizens in Gaza, with particular concern for over
1.5 million forcibly displaced individuals, including 400,000 recently
forced to flee from areas previously deemed "safe".

The closure of vital crossings and the execution of military operations in
Rafah are seen as indicative of the occupation's intent to perpetrate
further atrocities and cause a humanitarian catastrophe, as per the
statement.

"This includes severing crucial supply lines for food, medical supplies,
and humanitarian aid, potentially resulting in the deaths of thousands,
including the wounded, cancer patients, women, and children," it added.

In their joint statement, the Palestinian factions
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/pflp--pij--palestinian-unity-thwarted-all-schemes>
called for immediate international intervention to prevent further loss of
life and to address what they describe as the world's largest humanitarian
crisis.

They urge for concerted international, regional, and popular efforts to
halt the ongoing genocide and to hold the Israeli occupation accountable
for its actions in international courts.

Furthermore, the call is made for increased Resistance against the Zionist
occupation and its supporters until the aggression against the Palestinian
people ceases.
Israeli invasion of Rafah border: A dangerous escalation

In the same context, Hamas issued a statement that described the invasion
of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt today as a dangerous escalation
against a civilian area protected by international law. The move, condemned
by Palestinian factions, is seen as a bid to exacerbate the humanitarian
crisis in the Gaza Strip by restricting the flow of essential relief aid to
its besieged population, as per the statement.

The invasion follows closely on the heels of Hamas' announcement of
its agreement
to the proposal by mediators
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hamas-agrees-to-mediators--proposed-deal-with--israel>,
raising questions about the Israeli government's commitment to ceasefire
efforts and the release of Israeli captives, it added.

The statement further stressed that "these actions serve the personal
interests of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his administration, while
obstructing international mediation efforts and implementing the plan of
genocide and forcible displacement pursued by the extreme Zionist right led
by the war criminal Netanyahu."

Hamas has also called on the US administration and the broader
international community to intervene, warning that the escalation poses a
grave threat to the lives of hundreds of thousands of forcibly displaced
civilians not only in Rafah but throughout the Gaza Strip.

*Read more: Explainer: The three-phase agreement Hamas has agreed to
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/explainer--the-three-phase-agreement-hamas-has-agreed-to>*
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