Israel Takes Control Of Rafah.
“The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that it has taken “operational control” of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Wael Abu Omar, a Gaza border official, said travel and the flow of aid into the Strip “stopped completely” as a result. Hamas said it agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian cease-fire proposal, and Israel said it would send meditators to negotiate, renewing hopes for a pause in fighting even as Israel vowed to press on with its military operation in Rafah.”
With the backdrop of college protests taking place in America, Israeli has ramped up the war with Hamas. Further complicating the situation is the fact the Gazan war is taking place in the middle of an election year with large constituencies of both Arab and Jewish Americans residing in swing states. The Biden Administration has been somewhat flat footed in its response to the war, trying to avoid offending any large voting bloc.
