Rafah bombings (Edited by Mumsnet)

@PeasfullPerson there's estimated to be 600k people left in Rafah - on the more vulnerable side who couldn't leave

Saw earlier that US intelligence estimates that only 30-35% of Hamas fighters have been killed and 65% of tunnels remain and worse still they have been able to recruit thousands of new fighters in recent months

It’s depressing isn’t it! If they go into Rafa and then they still haven’t achieved their goals (which they obviously won’t) then there can be no argument that their strategy is working. Surely nobody could agree to more of the same.

Just to be clear I do not want them in Rafa, I want them completely out of Gaza.

@PeasfullPerson

I see where you are coming from that once the IDF go into Rafah then effectively they have gone through all the major settlements searching for Hamas and hostages, so theoretically it should be over.

However I fear that Hamas will simply melt away into the civilian population only to reappear in another major settlement turning this into a destructive ongoing operation of Hamas whack a mole, with no end in sight other than continued civilian casualties. And how long would the US support such an ongoing protracted conflict.

How many people are left in Rafah now? Does anyone know? If the IDF go into Rafah will that be the end of it? I don’t want them to go in and for more innocent people to die or lose their limbs, but I want this to be over now… yesterday… to never have started.

This seems a bit overdue - Sullivan left Israel on Sunday and this is the first update maybe the talks on normalisation of relations w Saudia Arabia* were more productive than those about the invasion of Rafah

US official says Israel addressed Biden’s concerns on Rafah attack plans: Reports

A senior US official says Israel has addressed many of President Joe Biden’s concerns regarding the ongoing ground assault on Rafah, according to news agencies.

“It’s fair to say, I think the Israelis have updated their plans. They’ve incorporated many of the concerns that we have expressed,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying.

The AFP and AP news agencies’ reports did not say if the official provided details of the changes the Israelis had made to their plans for the Rafah offensive, which has forcibly displaced more than 800,000 people. Most of those fleeing the city have gone to central Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah, where overcrowding and lack of water and sanitation services has resulted in “horrendous” conditions, according to UN officials.

Biden previously said he would not support an Israeli assault on Rafah – which had been sheltering more than 1.4 million people – without a plan to safeguard civilians.

*SA want 2 state solution and an end to the war so probably not

US aid pier a 'distraction' and not working atm - small deliveries on Friday and Saturday [10/11 trucks] but none since after half of Saturdays delivery was looted - Pentagon working on better security

''The American Friends Service Committee says the failure of the US-built pier to get food to starving Gaza people so far shows it’s more imperative than ever to reopen the three established land crossings.

“The pier itself can only bring in 90 trucks a day. We need 500 minimum, more like 1,500, to meet the vast humanitarian need that exists in Gaza,” said Kerri Kennedy from the organisation, which has worked in Gaza for 75 years''.

So little good news @ConnieCounter you should post it on all the threads especially those with un-relenting bad news!!

I can't find a suitable thread for this but the Irish government are having a press conference tomorrow morning and it looks like they'll be formally recognising the state of Palestine.

Years after the parliament voted for it, nearly 10 in fact. Still, solidarity is important so it's a positive step at a time of immense hardship and turmoil for Palestinians.

Thanks @EasterIssland i'd not seen that

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/21/israeli-officials-seize-camera-equipment-from-journalists-in-gaza

AP live feed cameras back on - note AP is a US company and this may have been a bridge too far

I hope it proves to be untrue because it’s horrendous if true.

I am wrong - the AP live feed cameras point over northern gaza not rafah and the IDF is complaining that the feed is exposing troop movements in the area

It’s an insulting attempt to control the narrative by making this about a comparison that most people won’t even be making.

This is reminiscent of the journalists being driven out of the Al-Shifa courtyard before the destruction of the hospital - hope I'm wrong

Israeli officials seize camera and broadcasting equipment belonging to Associated Press near Gaza border

“The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and the seizure of AP equipment,” said Lauren Easton, vice-president of corporate communications at the news organization.

BREAKING NEWS

UNRWA suspends food distribution in Rafah

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said that food distribution in Gaza’s southern city were currently suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity.

.

@poshsnobtwit Yes, I see what you mean. Back last year I think the Save the Children report was posted on this board, detailing allegations of child abuse in Israeli military prisons. I can only hope the attention given to these reports will bring the wider issue to light as well. Medical torture, which the BBC and CNN reports seem to point to, is particularly horrifying to me. The debasement of medicine as a noble profession and of medical staff as caregivers is such a betrayal of civilised values.

@Efacsen

"Just FYI Hamas didn't 'shell' anything - they don't have tanks and the rocket launcher used was located and destroyed by the IDF the next day - so not a repeated action by Hamas

The rocket attack wasn't on Kerem Shalom crossing itself but on the nearby IDF base where Israeli troops and tanks were massing prior to the invasion of eastern Rafah so an attack on troops rather than the humanitarian crossing point"

Just FYI - Hamas claimed they attacked a nearby Village DF base whereas the IDF claimed Hamas attacked the Kerem Shalom crossing. I will leave it to the reader as to whether they prefer to believe Hamas or the IDF.

Secondly the description of a rocket launcher " is somewhat generous. In reality it is simply four pieces of angle iron in an A Frame and uses home made rockets from pipes. So a repeated action is definitely feasible.

Thirdly nobody masses tanks and troops anymore - it simply makes a too attractive a target. But I understand that the term "massing" is more emotive and appeals more to the audience even if it is factually incorrect.

The vast majority of prisoners have no convictions or charges either. When brought before a judge a random charge can be presented. It's enough to be Palestinian to imprisoned, tortured, sexually assaulted and even killed in detention. Human rights organizations have been trying to report on this for many years, but Israel just attempts to undermine them by labelling them as antisemitic.

@poshsnobtwit That is clearly wrong, but I think this situation is worse, since these are detainees, who may later be released, and not convicted of anything.

This has been going on in prisons for decades, it's only now that the international world are listening.

What a terrible thing to ask of doctors. No wonder some are whistle blowing. It is truly horrifying and, given the news reports, I hope it will be investigated as part of the SA ICJ case. Or is it more appropriate to the ICC? It should not be allowed to pass. I don't know if allies have commented on this issue either?

Just when you think human beings can't sink any lower, I feel sick reading this 😤

Sure. I agree. Biden and some posters here are shocked and horrified by it for some reason.

The article linked upthread by another poster, it is what we are discussing,