Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli army would be prepared to make compromises in the event of an agreement on the release of hostages during the offensive in Rafah. "But if this option is cancelled, we will continue and deepen the operation," Gallant said, according to his office on Tuesday evening. He said that applied to the whole of the Gaza Strip and that the military pressure would lead to the destruction of Hamas. On Monday, Gallant ordered the army to advance to Rafah
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the vow Tuesday amid the negotiations mediated by Egypt that seek to reach a cease-fire deal that could see the release of some or all of the remaining hostages.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday vowed to launch an operation in Rafah “with or without a hostage deal.” Netanyahu made his comments after meeting with family members of bereaved families and hostages who expressed their opposition to reports that Israel agreed to an Egyptian-mediated deal for the release of some hostages in exchange for […]
Israel urges civilians to leave eastern Rafah as cease-fire hopes fade
'During the first phase, Hamas releases 33 Israeli detainees (alive or corpses),' Hamas said when it laid out the conditions for the ceasefire deal they had agreed to.
Ministers in Israel’s government are divided over a possible ceasefire deal with Hamas, which could see the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet, said the government would have no right to exist if it prevented a deal, but far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said a ceasefire would amount to a humiliating surrender. Also on the programme: As South Africa marks 30 years since the end of apartheid, voters ask whether the ANC can still deliver on...
Mediators renew efforts to secure a truce ahead of invasion of city, where more than 1 million people are shelteringBenjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will proceed with an offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah even if renewed efforts at internationally brokered talks with Hamas result in the release of hostages and a ceasefire.Mediators led by Egypt have renewed efforts aimed at a truce in recent days after it became clearer that Israel is preparing for its long-threatened ground...
The French Foreign Ministry called on Israel to end its military incursion in Rafah "without delay" as it "threatens to cause a catastrophic situation for the civilian populations of Ga
CAIRO/RAFAH, Gaza Strip/WASHINGTON >> Israeli tanks and warplanes bombarded areas of Rafah today, Palestinian residents said, after President Joe Biden said the United States would withhold weapons from Israel if its forces mount a major invasion of the southern Gaza city.
Israel was supposed to be letting in more aid. But a move to seize the Rafah Crossing on the Gaza side and shut down all aid flowing into the strip indicates otherwise, as the crossing was a key pipeline for humanitarian assistance. Until now, it was the only crossing not controlled by Israel — it's supposed to be under the control of Egypt, per a 2007 agreement. According to an Israeli official, the operation "involved special ground troops and the Israeli air force" and "resulted in the...
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Israel balks after Hamas agrees to cease-fire deal Hamas says it has accepted an offer for a temporary cease-fire with Israel, as diplomatic negotiations intensify to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas and ward off an
Hamas's acceptance of the cease-fire deal came hours after Israel ordered an evacuation of Palestinians from eastern neighborhoods of Rafah, signaling an invasion was imminent.