(7 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Southern Israel with view of Rafah border – 7 May 2024
++QUALITY AS INCOMING++
1. Various of large explosions and smoke rising from the side of Rafah City in the Gaza Strip ++CONTAINS FRAME FREEZE++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Muwasi, Gaza Strip – 7 May 2024
2. Plume of smoke rising in direction of eastern Rafah as seen from the Muwasi camp
STORYLINE:
Explosions and large plumes of smoke were seen Tuesday in the direction of Gaza’s Rafah city as Israeli forces launched an incursion overnight into the southernmost town of the besieged territory.
Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into Rafah even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing.
The U.N. warned of a potential collapse of the flow of aid to Palestinians from the closure of Rafah and the other main crossing into Gaza, Kerem Shalom, at a time when officials say the northern part of the enclave is already experiencing “full-blown famine.”
The Israeli foray overnight came after hours of whiplash in the Israel-Hamas war, with the militant group on Monday saying it accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire proposal.
Israel, however, insisted the deal did not meet its core demands.
The high-stakes diplomatic moves and military brinkmanship left a glimmer of hope alive — if only barely — for a deal to bring at least a pause in the war, which as it marked its 7-month point Tuesday, has killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and has devastated the Gaza Strip.
The incursion appeared to be short of the full-fledged offensive into Rafah that Israel has planned, and it was not immediately known if it would be expanded.
The looming operation threatens to widen a rift between Israel and its main backer, the United States, which says it is concerned over the fate of around 1.3 million Palestinians crammed into the city.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again on Monday against launching an invasion of the city after Israel ordered 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate from eastern parts of Rafah.
More than a million people are huddled in tents and overcrowded apartments in Rafah after fleeing Israel’s military offensive in other parts of the Gaza Strip.
AP video shot by Shlomo Mor and Zakaria Abu Jobain
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/b4fc4ab972374fafb7c85bb8ef83d989
