Hamas calls for US, int'l pressure to stop escalation in Rafah

Gaza, May 7 (IANS) The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Tuesday called on the US administration and the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop the storming of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Hamas said in a statement that the attack is "a dangerous escalation against a civilian facility protected by international law, aiming to exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, by closing it and preventing the flow of emergency relief aid through it to our besieged people".

Hamas added that the escalation threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip, Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel's military said on Tuesday that it had taken control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing in an overnight attack.

The crossing, which has served as a passage for humanitarian aid from Egypt to war-torn Gaza, was out of service.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas' armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades said that their militants "attacked Israeli soldiers stationed around the Rafah crossing".

The Israeli raid came after Hamas told the Egyptian and Qatari sides that the movement approved their proposal regarding a ceasefire in Gaza.

Hamas said it confirms Israel's intention to disrupt mediation efforts for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners.

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