ISRAEL STORMS GAZA – RAISES FLAG
JOEL B. POLLAK 7 May 2024 4:55 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack on Hamas positions in Rafah, in southern Gaza, began Monday with a fight to seize two key strategic points: the Rafah-Egypt border crossing, and the Philadelphi road along the Egyptian border. Israeli forces, including artillery and armored forces, encountered moderate resistance from Hamas fighters as they battled for several hours along the three kilometers between the Gaza-Israel border and the Rafah border crossing. There were no Israeli casualties reported, though several dozen Palestinian casualties were said to have occurred. Images and videos on social media showed an Israeli tank arriving at the Rafah crossing, then the Palestinian flag being replaced by the Israeli flag — the first time in nearly 20 years that Israel has physically controlled that border. In a statement, the IDF said: Overnight (Monday), IDF ground troops began a precise counterterrorism operation based on IDF and ISA [Israel Security Agency] intelligence to eliminate Hamas terrorists and dismantle Hamas terrorist infrastructure within specific areas of eastern Rafah. Prior to the operation, the IDF encouraged residents in the area of eastern Rafah to temporarily evacuate to the expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, where the IDF has facilitated the expansion of field hospitals, tents, and an increase in water, food, and medical supplies. International organizations working in the area were also encouraged to temporarily evacuate prior to the beginning of the operation. Following intelligence that indicated that the Rafah Crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes, IDF troops managed to establish operational control of the Gazan side of the crossing. On Sunday, mortars were fired from the area of the Rafah Crossing toward the area of the Kerem Shalom Crossing, as a result of which four IDF soldiers were killed and a number of…