This is the last moment for an agreement to reach a truce in Gaza, because as an alternative Israel will kick off its ground operation in Rafah. This would be – according to the Channel 12 broadcaster, which cites an Israeli source – the message clearly transmitted by Israel to the Egyptian interlocutors – and through them to the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar – during the talks between the negotiators sent by the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a delegation of Egyptian mediators visiting the country as reported by the Times of Israel.
The source states that Israel is not willing to let Sinwar drag out negotiations. This is the alternative between “an agreement in the near future, and Rafah”. The sources confirm that Israel is willing to accept the release of fewer hostages than the 40 previously proposedbut also that it will not accept the release of just 20 hostages, as Hamas has suggested in recent indirect contacts.
Israel believes Hamas holds 33 hostages who fall under the designation of ‘humanitarian’ hostages, women, children, men over 50 and the sick – and insists that they all be released. The source did not specify whether this would be the first phase of a broader agreement for all hostages, nor the duration of the proposed truce.
All ready for attack on Rafah
The source claims that the IDF has completed all its preparations for an operation in Rafah and that numerous sources in the defense establishment believe that “time is running out” for the hostages, that they must be the “absolute priority” and that the IDF can resume fighting at any time if it becomes necessary to pause to agree and complete a hostage deal.
Channel 12 quotes defense sources as saying Netanyahu should push as hard as possible for a hostage deal, but fears opposition from the far right of his coalition, particularly from ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
