Israel Allows Foreign Journalists Into Rafah for First Time Since May [Video]

On Wednesday the IDF escorted a small group of foreign journalists into Rafah for the first time since it launched a ground assault against Hamas in the city in May. CBS News’ Holly Williams said the military’s strategy appeared clear: “to show us what they’ve accomplished since launching their ground offensive.”

“This is now a wasteland,” Williams reported. “The only people we’re seeing here are Israeli soldiers. We didn’t see any of the militants who were still fighting. But we heard sporadic outgoing gunfire from the Israeli side.”

As Williams recalled, Israel acted against “the objections of the U.S., its closest ally” when the country launched the ground offensive. “Israel said it had to go into Rafa because Hamas’ four remaining battalions were hiding here, using tunnels connected to Egypt to smuggle in weapons,” she explained. “The Israeli soldiers told us they’ve uncovered a terror ecosystem underneath the city. Israel’s military …