Israel’s military is poised to enter into Rafah, the last major stronghold of Hamas in Gaza, without a deal for the release of the hostages. But Hamas still wants to continue negotiations to end the war.
Israeli troops and tanks continue to gather near Rafah for the expected military operation. Rafah is where many believe the leaders of Hamas, including Yahya Sinwar, are hiding as well as the remaining battalions of Hamas fighters. It’s also thought to be the location of the last remaining hostages.
While Hamas seems to reject the latest ceasefire offer, it apparently wants negotiations to continue, a tactic that could be intended to forestall the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) Rafah invasion.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says they will move ahead with their plans for an assault.
“We will do what is necessary in order to win and overcome our enemies, including in Rafah, in order to secure our future,” Netanyahu pledged.
A top Hamas demand is that Israel ends the war against the terrorist group and that all Israeli troops leave the Gaza Strip. But Netanyahu told visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that a deal to end the war without defeating Hamas is a non-starter.
Meanwhile, along the northern border, negotiations to broker a peace deal between Hezbollah and Israel appear stalled. In light of that, the Israeli military's Chief-of-Staff Herzi Halevi told commanders Israel is getting ready for an attack on Hezbollah.
“You are doing an excellent job of operational defense in the north, and we are preparing for an offensive in the north,” Halevi said.
Samir Geagea – a prominent Christian politician in Lebanon – says Hezbollah's constant attacks on Israel since October 7th, are hurting Lebanon more than Israel. The tit-for-tat shelling and bombings have killed 22 Israelis, while the death toll is much higher in Lebanon itself – more than 350. Geagea says Hezbollah should pull all its militia forces away from the Lebanese border with Israel.
1 comment:
One thing that always has confused me is how many high ranking members of either side of a conflict seem to think talking about what they are going to do is intelligent military planning.
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