Israel Closes Kerem Shalom Crossing with Gaza After Hamas Rocket Attack

Israel Closes Kerem Shalom Crossing with Gaza After Hamas Rocket Attack

The Kerem Shalom crossing, a critical route for humanitarian aid into Gaza, has been closed by Israel following a rocket attack by Hamas. The attack, which injured at least 10 people, including some seriously, occurred as mediators in Egypt attempted to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that 10 projectiles were fired from an area near the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza, approximately 3.6km from Kerem Shalom. The IDF claimed that the rockets were fired from a site near a civilian shelter, exemplifying Hamas's exploitation of humanitarian facilities for military purposes.

In response, Israeli fighter jets struck the launcher and a nearby military structure. The attack on the border crossing comes as talks are held to release Israeli hostages and negotiate a truce. However, Israel has stated that it will not accept Hamas's demands to end the Gaza war.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed across Gaza's border into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. The subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 34,600 Palestinians and more than 77,900 wounded, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Hamas has sent a delegation to the truce talks in Cairo, proposing a 40-day pause in fighting while hostages are released and Palestinian prisoners are freed from Israeli jails. However, the main sticking point is whether the truce would be permanent, as Hamas insists, or not.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas's demands, stating that accepting a permanent truce would allow Hamas to regain control of Gaza and pose a threat to Israel. Netanyahu faces pressure from within his far-right coalition to press ahead with a long-promised offensive in Gaza's southern-most city, Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million people have taken shelter.

The US, Israel's biggest diplomatic and military ally, is reluctant to back a new offensive that could cause significant civilian casualties and has insisted on seeing a plan to protect displaced Palestinians first. The Israeli government also faces mounting pressure at home, with 128 hostages still unaccounted for, including at least 34 presumed dead.

Ceasefire talks have been ongoing for months without a breakthrough, and there has not been a pause in fighting or a release of hostages since the end of November. The closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving millions without access to essential aid.