Fierce clashes mar Gaza truce
Heavy clashes erupted in Rafah less than an hour after a humanitarian truce came into effect, resulting in the deaths of at least 70 Palestinians and the possible kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.
Less than an hour after the announcement of the humanitarian truce in Gaza on Aug. 1, violent clashes erupted between Hamas fighters and the Israeli army near the Karam Abu Salem crossing in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, told Al-Monitor that 70 people have been killed and at least 300 wounded as a result of intensive Israeli bombardment by aircraft, artillery and warships that targeted several areas in eastern Rafah. The Israeli army expressed concerns that a soldier, Hadar Goldin, may have been captured during the fighting with Hamas' military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, this morning. Israeli media reported that his family has already been informed.
Meanwhile, Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, said that Hamas fighters kidnapped the Israeli soldier and killed two others before the truce came into effect.
The escalation in Rafah comes after international diplomatic efforts succeeded in establishing a humanitarian truce in Gaza between Hamas and Israel for a 72-hour period, starting this morning, Aug. 1. The truce was meant to temporarily pause the war in the Gaza Strip while indirect negotiations take place in Cairo.
Al-Monitor learned that the Palestinian delegation will head to Egypt on Aug. 2 to start the indirect negotiations with Israel through Cairo. The delegation includes members of the Palestine Liberation Organization; Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee; Majid Faraj, head of General Intelligence; Maher al-Taher, an official from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine abroad; Qais Abdul Karim, leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the West Bank; and Bassam al-Salihi, the leader of the Palestinian People's Party. The delegation also includes members of Hamas’ political bureau; Moussa Abu Marzouk, Izzat al-Rishq and Mohammad Nasr from the movement’s leadership abroad; and Khalil al-Haya and Imad al-Alami from the Gaza leadership. Islamic Jihad is represented by Ziad al-Nakhala and Khaled al-Batsh.
