Israel says ‘date set’ for Rafah invasion amid ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks | Israel Warfare on Gaza Information

Hamas says Israel is just not acceding to calls for of a army withdrawal and permitting Palestinians to return residence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a date has been set to invade Rafah in southern Gaza as truce talks with Hamas in Cairo are ongoing however don’t seem near the end line.

In a video assertion in Hebrew, Netanyahu reiterated his place {that a} floor army operation in Rafah, bordering Egypt, the place greater than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, is important for victory within the warfare.

“It is going to occur. There’s a date,” he mentioned on Monday with out elaborating.

This comes as Hamas was offered with a brand new proposal in ceasefire talks on the finish of the weekend, however one that doesn’t seem like ready to safe a deal.

The Palestinian group confirmed in a press release that it’s reviewing the proposal, however mentioned Israel “has not responded to any of the calls for of our individuals and our resistance”.

Senior Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zahry instructed Al Jazeera that Netanyahu’s remarks “increase questions concerning the goal of resuming negotiations”.

“The success of any negotiations depends upon ending the aggression,” mentioned Zahry, including that the group’s “calls for are clear: an finish to aggression in opposition to our individuals”.

Israel has to this point rejected Palestinian calls for of an unrestricted return of lots of of 1000’s of Gaza Palestinians to the enclave’s north, and the retreat of Israeli army floor forces from the strip.

The Israeli army mentioned it has withdrawn a few of its floor forces from Gaza, however has stored the troops accountable for sustaining an east-west hall that successfully cuts the enclave in half and prevents the return of Palestinians to the north.

The US continues to be publicly against the concept of Israel’s invasion of Rafah because it has mentioned there are not any viable plans to evacuate the massive variety of civilians who’re within the space.

An unnamed Israeli official instructed The Related Press information company that Israel is shopping for 40,000 tents to organize for the evacuation of Palestinians from Rafah.

US Division of State spokesperson Matthew Miller instructed reporters following Netanyahu’s announcement that the US has not been absolutely briefed on any new Rafah developments.

“We now have made clear to Israel that we predict a full-scale army invasion of Rafah would have an enormously dangerous impact on these civilians and that it could in the end damage Israel’s safety,” Miller mentioned.

This comes because the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and France wrote a joint op-ed revealed by a number of media shops, together with The Washington Submit and Le Monde, that referred to as for a right away and unconditional ceasefire, as demanded by a United Nations Safety Council decision handed in late March.

“We warn in opposition to the harmful penalties of an Israeli offensive on Rafah, the place greater than 1.5 million Palestinian civilians have sought refuge. Such an offensive will solely deliver extra deaths and struggling, heighten the dangers and penalties of mass forcible displacement of the individuals of Gaza and threaten regional escalation,” mentioned the leaders.

Mahjoob Zweiri, director of the Gulf Research Middle at Qatar College, instructed Al Jazeera it has grow to be obvious to Israel’s Western allies and even throughout the nation that Netanyahu has little interest in reaching a deal “any time quickly”.

“He desires extra time, he desires to go to Rafah, he desires to have one thing he has failed to realize to this point,” Zweiri mentioned. “He and the suitable wing want people, they want names – they discuss [Hamas leaders Yahya] Sinwar and [Mohammed] Deif, and none of this has been achieved.”

Zweiri mentioned so long as this continues, the Israeli prime minister’s stance will stay the identical out of “self-interest” to protect his political future.

“Everybody is aware of, however the concern is whether or not the worldwide group settle for this, will settle for to see extra killing and extra destruction
for somebody who’s irresponsible politically and immorally is waging warfare on civilians,” he added.