Eurasia Press & News
Latest Developments
Hamas Attacks in Rafah: Hamas terrorists attacked IDF troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on October 28, violating the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed terrorist group. During the attack, the terrorists reportedly used small arms and an anti-tank missile to fire at Israeli forces. The attack marked the second incident of its kind since October 19, when two IDF soldiers were killed by a Hamas cell operating in the area. In the aftermath of the attack in Rafah, Hamas released a statement denying responsibility.
Renewed Airstrikes After Attack: In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “directed the military to immediately carry out forceful strikes in the Gaza Strip.” Airstrikes were reported in both Deir al-Balah and Rafah in the hours following the Hamas attack. An Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post, “The response to the current violations by Hamas will be significantly greater than the response last time,” referring to a series of airstrikes carried out by Israel following the October 19 attack in Rafah.
Israel Set to Expand “Yellow Line”: Israeli media reported later on October 28 that Netanyahu had ordered the expansion of the “Yellow Line,” which delineates Hamas-controlled areas of Gaza from territory under IDF control. In future negotiated phases of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, the IDF is expected to gradually relinquish control of the territory to a transitional authority in Gaza, handing it over to be secured by the International Stabilization Force.
FDD Expert Response
“Hamas cannot just attack Israeli soldiers and hold back hostages while refusing to disarm, while it rebuilds and receives a bailout from the United Nations. Those are not the terms of the Trump deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said clearly, Israel has not surrendered its right to self-defense. Peace enforcement in Gaza requires zero tolerance for Hamas ceasefire violations.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor
“Hamas’s attacks on IDF units since the ceasefire took effect are not anomalies. They reflect a calibrated strategy intended to impose continuous costs on Israeli forces that are holding territory in Gaza along the so-called yellow line. A critical test for the ceasefire will arise when the issue of disarmament is addressed. Hamas’s public statements and behavior to date strongly indicate that it will refuse to relinquish its weapons, creating a substantial risk of a future rupture in the ceasefire’s viability.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal
