Gazans thrown into confusion by Hamas’s acceptance of a deal, followed by Israel’s sceptical response and bomb attacks
The more than a million Gazans taking refuge in Rafah were thrown into confusion by the day’s events. Israel issued orders for the evacuation of part of the city earlier on Monday, triggering an exodus of thousands of people. There were celebrations in the streets in the evening as Hamas’s announced it had accepted ceasefire, but then disappointment and bewilderment when Israel gave a tepid response and began bombing.
The main difference dividing the two sides at the hostages-for-ceasefire talks in Cairo last week was over the permanence of a ceasefire. Israel wants to reserve the right to take military action, particularly against the remnants of Hamas’s military wing in Rafah, after the ceasefire has run its course.
“An Israeli military offensive will lead to an additional layer of an already unbearable tragedy for the people in Gaza,” said Philippe Lazzarini, the head of Unrwa, the UN relief agency in the region. “It will make even more difficult to reverse the expansion of the already man-made famine.” In the clearest sign yet of Israeli intent to press ahead with an offensive, the Israel Defense Forces said they had broadcast instructions through “announcements, text messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic” telling an estimated 100,000 residents of an eastern section Rafah to head to an “expanded humanitarian zone” on the coast.
While the Israelis say the section of Rafah under evacuation orders is limited with an estimated population of 100,000, US officials think any military operation in that district would have a knock-on effect, terrifying many others across Rafah to flee.
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