Whether or not a cease-fire and hostage-release deal can be reached, Israel will launch an operation against Hamas in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this on Tuesday (April 30). British news agency Reuters reported this news.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said, “The idea that we will end the war before achieving all goals is beyond question.”
Mediators are trying to broker a ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the start of the Israeli offensive on the town of Rafah. Israel sent a cease-fire response to Hamas over the weekend. Hamas negotiators were expected to meet with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to respond to that response.
A source familiar with the talks told Reuters that the proposal calls for the release of 40 of the roughly 130 hostages held by resistance fighters in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
On April 29, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged the Palestinian armed group Hamas to accept the cease-fire proposal given by Israel at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. He then described Israel’s offer to Hamas as ‘generous’.
Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7. According to Israeli data, 1,200 Israelis were killed in that attack. Armed fighters took 253 hostages to Gaza.
In response to this attack, Israel launched a counter-attack on Gaza on the same day. According to Gaza health authorities, Israeli air and ground attacks have killed around 34,500 Palestinians so far.
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