Israeli Security Cabinet approves expansion of ground operations in Rafah
It has been reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet has approved a decision to "expand the scope" of ground operations in the city of Rafah, where approximately 1.5 million people who fled the attacks in the southern Gaza Strip have taken refuge.
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According to a report on the Israeli website "Walla", which cites three sources familiar with the matter, the Israeli Security Cabinet decided last night to expand ground operations in Rafah.
The report includes an assessment from one of the sources that the decision to expand operations in Rafah includes actions that could be interpreted as "crossing the red line" of US President Joe Biden.
The report also states that the Security Cabinet instructed that "efforts continue" regarding hostage exchange negotiations with Hamas, but that Israel's far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, known for his far-right views, voted against this decision.
The Israeli army launched a ground attack on the east of Rafah on May 7 and seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah Border Crossing, which opens to Egypt.
The area occupied by the Israeli army includes the Rafah Border Crossing on the Egyptian border, which is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Gaza and the only crossing point used by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to travel abroad.