Israel continues attacking Rafah after Hamas accepts ceasefire deal

The Israeli army has pressed forward with its plan for a ground invasion of Rafah, as reports emerge of military tanks advancing towards Rafah’s border crossing with Egypt.

Israeli airstrikes killed 12 people in Rafah early on Tuesday, adding to the death toll of 34,745 victims already lost in brutal military assaults since October 7.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Rafah have been ordered by the Israeli army to evacuate, fueling fears of an imminent ground assault on the southern Gaza city.

Despite Hamas accepting a ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt on Monday, Israeli officials have asserted that the attack on Rafah will not be shelved.

Israel has declared that the deal falls short of meeting its core demands and has indicated its intention to continue negotiations. Israeli negotiators are scheduled to travel to Cairo for further talks today (Tuesday).

The US has announced that it is reviewing the ceasefire deal proposed by Hamas and does not endorse Israel's attack on Rafah.

An official from the Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that Israel’s evacuation order and anticipated offensive represent a “dangerous escalation with consequences.”

After seven months of relentless conflict that has ravaged Gaza, a glimmer of respite emerged when Hamas agreed to a ceasefire accord. However, Israel’s offensive plans have extinguished such hopes.

Rafah stands as the last refuge for 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, while the remainder of the enclave is decimated. Over 100,000 people received evacuation orders issued by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

Details of the ceasefire remain unclear as the parties involved in the deal refrained from disclosing them. However, according to Al Jazeera, Hamas agreed to a three-phase ceasefire, each phase lasting six weeks.

The first phase included a temporary cessation of hostilities and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in Gaza. The second phase stipulated a complete halt to military attacks and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. The final phase aimed to bring reconstruction plans for displaced Gazans.

The exchange of hostages and prisoners was to continue throughout all phases.

However, the ongoing Israeli offensive in Rafah threatens the viability of a ceasefire.