The Gaza Strip shelled again. The Israeli army carried out intense bombardments on Tuesday May 7 in Rafah, in the south of Gaza, in order to accentuate the “pressure” on Hamas, a few hours before new talks in Cairo to try to influence a truce agreement. Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip reported “many deaths” during the night and the Kuwaiti hospital, located in Rafah, noted “11 dead” and “dozens of injured”. Witnesses and Palestinian security sources also described airstrikes and widespread artillery fire throughout the Palestinian territory. Follow our live stream.
Hamas accepts ceasefire proposal. After the Israeli army began an evacuation operation in Rafah on Monday, Hamas informed Egypt and Qatar that it had “approved their proposal for a ceasefire agreement” with Israel. But this proposal is “far from Israeli demands”, replied the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel will, however, send a delegation to Egypt to reach an agreement “on terms acceptable to Israel.”
Families of hostages demand an agreement. “Hamas’ announcement should pave the way for the return of the 132 hostages held captive by Hamas for more than seven months”declared in a press release the Families Forum, an Israeli association of relatives of hostages founded the day after October 7. “The time has come for all parties involved to fulfill their commitment and turn this opportunity into an agreement for the return of all hostages,” we add.
Israel organizes the evacuation of Rafah. Benjamin Netanyahu promised to launch the offensive on this city, whatever the outcome of the negotiations. The Israeli army claimed that it was essential for “destroy the last four battalions” Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In this perspective, she began “a limited-scale operation to temporarily evacuate people residing in eastern Rafah”estimating at “around 100,000” the number of people affected.