The IDF ground operation in Rafah provided proof over the weekend of why it was necessary. Israeli troops found the graves of 4 of the hostages that had been listed as in Hamas custody. The bodies were taken to Israel for reburial. This leaves the total of individuals still held by Hamas at 128. It ought to be zero. Hamas still disregards the requirements of international law to allow a neutral body, usually the Red Cross, to visit and verify the well-being of the kidnap victims. Under international law ALL the civilians taken should have been released immediately. The worst part is that the international community (and the media) remains silent on this issue.
The remaining hostages are not all Israelis. A couple of them are American citizens. But the US was probably the loudest voice calling on Israel not to move against Rafah. The Biden administration justified the opposition as humanitarian concern. They also claimed that any evacuation effort would take months. The IDF managed to have some 800,000 civilians evacuate Rafah in less than a week. There is still a problem getting humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. It is caused by Egypt halting the trucks because they want the aid to be delivered directly to Hamas (as it was before).
Meanwhile, the media giants continue to avoid reporting the rain of rockets on Israeli towns (civilian targets!) that occurs daily. Another plus from the IDF in Rafah was the location, and destruction, of 4 such rockets (two of them in their launchers, poised for firing).
Wetherhorn 