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CBSJun 19
Rafah Residents: Israel Increasing Efforts to Capture City
Image copyright: Amir Levy/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Residents in Rafah said that Israeli forces were ramping up their efforts to capture the city, moving into its western and northern neighborhoods, with many reporting that the military's operations had increased over the past two days.
Israeli forces had already moved into the east, south, and center of Rafah after starting an assault on the city in early May. Over 1M displaced Palestinians took refuge in the city before the offensive but have now largely fled to other areas of the strip.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has gotten out of hand, and the Biden admin.'s red lines are clear. Netanyahu must be willing to work with the US and its allies to find a resolution to this conflict.
Pro-Israel narrative
The battle for Rafah is the most important battle of this war. Israeli forces have focused on securing the Philadelphi corridor, which straddles the Egyptian border, as this region is crucial in preventing Hamas from rebuilding its clandestine supply lines into Gaza. Indeed, Israel must continue to push forward in Rafah, as it is the only way to defeat Hamas.
Pro-Palestine narrative
It should be clear after almost eight months of grinding brutality that Israel's true goal is to destroy Gaza and starve its people. The Biden admin., which has obscured its support for the Rafah offensive, has helped Israel destroy Gaza at every step of the way, even providing the bombs that burned dozens of women and children alive. Israel is committing daily massacres in Gaza, and the US is fully complicit.