Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said on Tuesday that the Israeli army has completed its preparations for the expected operation in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
The source explained that the Chief of Staff approved the plans for the operation in the “last stronghold of Hamas” in the Gaza Strip, while the Israeli army estimates that within the next 48 to 72 hours “the decision will be made that will constitute the end of the campaign in the Gaza Strip.”
He added that the next 48 to 72 hours will be decisive: a hostage deal with Hamas or the entry of the Israeli army into Rafah.
This comes as the United States continues to oppose any military operation in Rafah, saying that it will add catastrophic dimensions to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
The American New York Times said that Joe Biden’s administration is “optimistic” about the possibility of reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas, leading to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The source explained that Biden and his national security team believe that “there is a narrow window to conclude an agreement that would stop the war in Gaza at least temporarily, and perhaps end it forever.”
“The worst option is for Hamas to reject the generous and flexible Israeli offer,” Yedioth Ahronoth revealed.
The “generous offer” requires Israeli officials to accept reducing the number of hostages they want Hamas to release during the first phase of the truce, to 33 (from 40).
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