Israel says ‘date set’ for Rafah invasion amid ongoing ceasefire talks

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 but do not appear close to the finish line.

In a video statement in Hebrew, Netanyahu reiterated his position that a ground military operation in Rafah, bordering Egypt, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering, is essential for victory in the war.

“It will happen. There is a date,” he said on Monday without elaborating.

This comes as Hamas was presented with a new proposal in ceasefire talks at the end of the weekend, but one that does not appear to be able to secure a deal.

The Palestinian group confirmed in a statement that it is reviewing the proposal, but said Israel “has not responded to any of the demands of our people and our resistance”.

Senior Hamas Spokesperson Sami Abu Zahry told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu’s remarks “raise questions about the purpose of resuming negotiations”.

“The success of any negotiations depends on ending the aggression,” said Zahry, adding that the group’s “demands are clear: an end to aggression against our people”.   Israel has so far rejected Palestinian demands of an unrestricted return of hundreds of thousands of Gaza Palestinians to the enclave’s North, and the retreat of Israeli military ground forces from the strip. The Israeli military said it has withdrawn some of its ground forces from Gaza, but has kept the troops in charge of maintaining an East-West corridor that effectively cuts the enclave in half and prevents the return of Palestinians to the North.

(Aljazeera) 

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