The Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, has announced that plans for a massive attack on the Gazan city of Rafah will be suspended once an agreement is reached with Hamas to release the hostages it holds. In an interview with Channel 12 of Israeli television, Katz emphasized the importance of releasing the hostages and confirmed that the operation would be suspended if an agreement is reached.
Israeli Army has been preparing for a major offensive on Rafah, but there is disagreement within the war cabinet on this issue. While some ministers threaten to resign if the Rafah offensive is canceled, others emphasize the importance of reaching an agreement with Hamas. The Israeli Army believes that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is hiding in Rafah, making it a crucial target for the operation.
Official Israeli sources have reported that a new offer has been presented to Hamas as a final opportunity to accept a ceasefire. Otherwise, talks with Hamas will continue to mediate by Egypt and Qatar. While progress has been made in negotiations, Israeli officials are emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and urging Hamas to release hostages.
The release of hostages remains a key issue in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. If an agreement can be reached soon, it may prevent a major offensive on Rafah from being launched. However, if no agreement can be reached soon, tensions are likely to escalate further between Israel and Gaza’s ruling party.
