After residents of southern most city in Strip told to evacuate to safe zones, ministers vote unanimously in favor of operation following Hamas deadly strike on Kerem Shalom crossing and failure of hostage release negotiations

Israel’s War Cabinet approved on Sunday the launch of a military operation in Rafah, which began with the evacuation of Gazans from the eastern part of the city near the border with Israel earlier on Monday. Two incidents preceded the decision – Hamas’ insistence on ending the war and the deadly rocket attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing in which four soldiers were killed.

Despite the ongoing public threats, mainly from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sunday marked the first time in the last four months — since an operation in Rafah was put on the agenda — that Netanyahu presented the first phase of the Rafah operation and demanded that War Cabinet ministers state their position on the matter. Ministers raised questions during the discussion, and eventually, one by one, decided to approve the operation’s first stage.

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