Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said a proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire is far from Israel’s basic requirements but acknowledge negotiations will continue. Late on Monday, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, Even though the Hamas proposal is far from Israel’s basic requirements, Israel will send a delegation of mediators to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement under conditions acceptable to Israel. At the same time, it added that, Israel’s war cabinet had decided to continue the Rafah operation to exert military pressure on Hamas to advance on the war aims. His comments came after Hamas said it had accepted the truce terms offered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Meanwhile, reports in Israeli media said, Overnight, Israeli forces and tanks were seen near the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza. Earlier, Israel’s military carried out air strikes on Rafah, on the border with Egypt, after warning Palestinians to evacuate eastern parts of the city. Israel has long threatened an offensive against Hamas hold-outs in the city of 1.4 million people, many of whom have sought refuge there from Israeli offensives in other parts of Gaza.
Chidozie Chima | September 13, 2024
