The Israel Defense Forces have seized a border crossing between Gaza and Egypt while downplaying the significance of Rafah, amid U.S. pressure not to attack.

As a Palestinian human rights activist, I feel compelled to weigh in on the ongoing military operation in Rafah, which has been often misrepresented in various circles.

Hamas said it had accepted the terms of a cease-fire proposed by Arab mediators, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “very far from Israel’s core demands.”