JERUSALEM — An Israeli tank brigade took control of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, officials said, moving forward with an offensive on the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas continue to flounder. razor’s edge.
The Israeli 401st Brigade entered the Rafah crossing early Tuesday morning, the Israeli military said, taking “operational control” of the crucial crossing both for aid and for those who could flee to Egypt.
Footage released by the Israeli military showed a tank entering the crossing. The details of the video matched the known characteristics of the crossing and showed Israeli flags flying from the tanks that took over the area.
The Israeli military claimed that it seized the crossing after receiving information that it was “being used for terrorist purposes.” The military did not immediately provide evidence to support the claim, although it alleged that the area around the crossing had been used to launch a mortar attack that killed four Israeli soldiers and wounded others near the Kerem Shalom crossing.
The military also said ground troops and airstrikes targeted suspected Hamas positions in Rafah.
Wael Abu Omar, spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, acknowledged that Israeli forces had taken the crossing and closed the facility for the time being. He said attacks had targeted the area around the crossing since Monday.