Israeli tank drives over ‘I love Gaza’ sign as military takes control of Rafah crossing

Footage seemingly shot by soldiers in tanks showed military vehicles with Israeli flags on the road in Rafah on Tuesday 7 May.

One video showed a tank driving into a square and over a sign that read “I love Gaza”.

An Israeli tank brigade has seized control of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, authorities say, moving forward with an offensive in the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remain on a knife’s edge.

The move comes after hours of whiplash in the Israel-Hamas war, with the militant group on Monday saying it accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated ceasefire proposal.

Israel, meanwhile, insisted the deal did not meet its core demands.