Israel is ready to enter Rafah, the city in the south of the Gaza Strip where over 1.4 million Palestinians are gathered. According to the Times of Israel, the army has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles along the border with the Gaza Strip in what appears to be preparations for an invasion of the border town. In particular, vehicles were spotted moving near the Israeli Kerem Shalom crossing. According to Israeli public television, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the plans for the operation but has not yet given the green light that would allow the defense forces (IDF) to go into action. According to the latest news attributed to military sources, between 150 thousand and 200 thousand people have left Rafah since April 7 in view of the possible attack by Israel. Since the beginning of the war, 1.5 million refugees, out of the 2.2 million residents of the Strip, have sought refuge in the city-
New talks
Meanwhile, diplomacy continues to move to reach an agreement for the ceasefire and the release of the hostages, kidnapped by Hamas in the attack on 7 October 2023. According to Haaretz reports, a Egyptian delegation is expected in Israel to continue negotiations. Egyptian, Israeli and US officials held in-person and remote meetings on Wednesday to try to break the deadlock.
A source told news site Ynet that Israel would be willing to reconsider the planned Rafah operation if there was “a real offer” for a ceasefire agreement with Hamas for the hostages, but will not “compromise on ending the war”. The official’s comments come as Jewish media reported that Tel Aviv would abandon its earlier demand that at least 40 hostages be released as part of a possible deal.
In particular, an anonymous senior Israeli official reported that Israel is currently considering one proposed agreement for the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas. The official adds that the duration of the ceasefire that will accompany the release of the hostages will be determined by the number of prisoners that Hamas releases.
Hamas’s proposal
Hamasfor her part, she would have said willing to disband its military wing if the Palestinian state was recognized. In an interview with the AP reported by Israeli media, Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the group’s political bureau based in Doha, said the organization would be ready to lay down its arms if “a fully sovereign Palestinian state was created in West Bank and Gaza Strip”.
USA and other countries involved in crisis urge release of all hostages
The United States with 17 other countries with citizens among the Hamas hostages (Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand and Great Britain) they urgein a joint statement released by the White House, the “immediate” release of the hostages seized by Hamas in Gaza, so as to allow all actors “to focus on ending this crisis and efforts to restore peace and stability in the region”. The countries express “strong support for the ongoing mediation efforts”.
“The state of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, protected by international law, is a topic at the center of international concerns,” the statement read. “The deal under discussion to free the hostages would lead to a prolonged and immediate ceasefire in Gazaa truce that would facilitate the increase in the transfer of necessary humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and a credible end to hostilities”, it underlines. “Gaza residents could return to their homes and lands, after preparations that ensure them shelter and aid humanitarian”.
