Keystone
The return of the Israeli hostages home is more important than the military operation in Rafah. Benny Gantz, minister of the war cabinet, said this, according to which the government would have no right to exist if its members prevented a hostage agreement.
Gantz, answering to radical right-wing leader Bezalel Smotrich, wrote in X that entering Rafah is important for the campaign against Hamas, but the return of the hostages captured on October 7 is of much greater importance.
Meanwhile, an Israeli source told the Times of Israel that “the only way to avoid entry into Rafah is to reach a deal on the hostages.” “No one – admitted the source – wants Israel to enter Rafah”.
According to the same source, in its counterproposal Israel made “major concessions”, including the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Strip: one of Hamas’ main demands. The Islamic faction will be in Cairo tomorrow and could give its answer.
Hamas meanwhile let Reuters know that one of its delegations will travel to Cairo tomorrow for talks aimed at obtaining a ceasefire.
The delegation will discuss a proposal to this effect presented by Hamas to mediators in Qatar and Egypt, as well as Israel’s response. The Reuters source did not reveal details of the latest proposals
SDA
