The leaders of Egypt, France, and Jordan are cautioning Israel about launching an offensive against Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, warning of potentially “dangerous consequences” and the threat of regional escalation. They expressed that such an offensive would only bring more death and suffering to the area where over 1.5 million Palestinians are seeking shelter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that a date for the offensive has been set but did not provide any specific details. He stated that the primary goal is to secure the release of all hostages and achieve a complete victory over Hamas, which would require entering Rafah and eliminating the terrorist battalions there.
While talks on a potential hostage-prisoner swap and ceasefire continue in Egypt’s capital Cairo, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that now might be the right time for a deal, six months into the conflict with Hamas.
The presence of CIA Director William Burns at the discussions emphasizes the growing pressure from the US for an agreement, as the United States is Israel’s main ally.
According to a senior Hamas official, Israeli proposals have not met the group’s demands, and there has been no progress in the talks. However, the group stated that they would still examine the proposals.
In a joint editorial published in several newspapers, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned against the dangerous consequences of an Israeli offensive on Rafah. They also emphasized the need for a “massive increase” in aid for Gaza, calling for the implementation of a recent UN Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas initiated an attack on southern Israeli border communities on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of over 250 hostages. Israel reports that at least 34 of the 130 hostages still in Gaza are dead, with over 33,000 Gazans, the majority of them civilians, killed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza since the initial attack.
Gaza is facing a dire humanitarian crisis, with reports of a potential famine and thousands of people trapped in the north living on minimal resources. Oxfam reported that 300,000 people in the north have been living on an average of 245 calories a day since January. Israel has refuted claims of impeding the entry of aid or its distribution within Gaza, instead accusing UN agencies on the ground of failing to deliver aid to those in need.
