‘Invasion imminent in Rafah if talks collapse’
Israel’s defence minister has threatened an imminent invasion of Rafah where 1.5 million Gazans are sheltering if a temporary ceasefire agreement is not reached.
Amid faltering peace talks in Egypt, Yoav Gallant warned his government was preparing to launch “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza”.
Negotiations stalled on Sunday (local time) after Hamas said it would reject any deal that failed to end the war in the Palestinian territory. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said he cannot accept Hamas’ demands for an end to the war or the withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) troops from Gaza.
Israel claims Rafah, in south Gaza, is the last stronghold of Hamas, with four unharmed battalions left in the area, in addition to the remnants of other dismantled battalions which have fled.
Netanyahu has been urged by his allies, including the United States, to abandon plans to launch an offensive on Rafah to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
Speaking to troops at the weekend, Gallant said that the invasion was imminent.
“We have clear goals for this war: we are committed to the elimination of Hamas and the release of the hostages … we have identified alarming signs that Hamas actually does not intend to go for any agreement framework with us. What this means is an operation in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip in the very near future,” he said.
On Sunday, a barrage of at least 10 projectiles was fired from Rafah towards the Kerem Shalom crossing, once a key entry point for the likes of food and aid, but currently closed for security reasons. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted Israeli soldiers there.
Egyptian and Qatari mediators had been working alongside the head of the CIA, William Burns, in Cairo over the weekend to move forward a ceasefire agreement, though Israel did not send a delegation.
Netanyahu said Israel has been “very generous” in its offer for a potential deal but added that Hamas “still held to its extreme positions”. He continued: “First and foremost the withdrawal of our forces from the Strip, the conclusion of the war and leaving Hamas intact.”
Netanyahu has said he is willing to pause fighting for 40 days to secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas.
But he has ruled out an end to the war until all his “aims are achieved”.
Nearly seven months into the war, less than half the 250 or more hostages taken on October 7 have been released. Many are believed to have already died in captivity.
Hamas’ political head, Ismail Haniyeh, said the terror group would only do a deal that would secure Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza, in addition to the hostages being exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.