Hostilities continue in Rafah and southern Gaza despite the Israeli army’s announcement on Sunday of a tactical pause in operations to allow humanitarian aid to enter, UNRWA chief Philippe told reporters in Oslo on Monday. Lazzarini.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticized the military’s announced plans to hold daily pauses in fighting along a major road leading to the Palestinian enclave.
Lazzarini, commissioner general of UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and the main organization providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, said there had been no let-up in the fighting.
“There was information that such a decision had been made, but the political level says that no such decision was made,” Lazzarini told a news conference.
“So for now I can say that hostilities continue in Rafah and southern Gaza. And that, on an operational level, nothing has changed yet.”
The Israeli military said on Monday that its forces remained focused on intelligence-based operations in the Rafah area, which included close combat with militants and the seizure and destruction of weapons.
Over the weekend, the military announced daily breaks from 2 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Brasilia time) in the area from the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel to the Salah al-Din road and then north . They later clarified that normal operations would continue in Rafah, the main hub of their operations in southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, residents said Israeli forces were advancing deeper into the central and western regions of Rafah on Monday, under heavy ground and air fire.
Armed groups led by Hamas were fighting at close range inside Al-Shaboura camp in the heart of Rafah, according to militants and residents, who reported hearing the sounds of continuous explosions and gunfire.
Lazzarini later told Reuters that UNRWA received notification from the Israeli army that there would be a pause, but that it was only in English, not in any other language, and that it was soon followed by the government which contradicted that instruction.
“For now, I don’t see anything that would be considered a pause,” he said.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
