Why in News? The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they had launched an operation in Rafah, a city located on the Gaza Strip’s southern border with Egypt, to reportedly target Hamas.

What has Israel Done in Rafah? According to the IDF, its troops had established “operational control of the Gazan side” of the Rafah border crossing, which helps in the movement of goods and people between Egypt and Gaza. According to the UN, more than 1.4 million people are currently in Rafah, which was once a city of 300,000 people. This is because Israeli forces attacked most other major areas of the narrow Gaza Strip. Since Gaza borders the Mediterranean Sea to its west and Israel to its east, its population has no other functioning checkpoints to exit the region at the moment.

Why Does Israel Want to Invade Rafah? Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Israel launched a military campaign on Gaza that has killed more than 34,000 people to date - the majority being women and children. Israel has claimed it aims to completely “eliminate” Hamas. According to the Israeli PM, it is impossible to achieve the war objective without invading Rafah, from where four Hamas battalions operate.

Why are the US and Other Allies Critical of Rafah’s Invasion? Though the US (Israel’s strongest ally) has been critical of the Israeli government at times, it has not been able to convince it to stop the attacks altogether. Egypt had threatened to suspend its 1979 peace treaty with Israel. Qatar and Saudi Arabia also warned of repercussions.