Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz assured that plans to launch a massive attack on the city of Rafah in Gaza, the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced from other parts of the enclave by Israeli bombing will automatically remain suspended after reaching an agreement with the Islamist group Hamas. release hostages in his possession.

“The release of hostages is a key issue for us, so yes: “If there is an agreement, we will suspend the operation,” he said. he said in an interview with Israeli television channel Channel 12 on Saturday.

Katz confirms what official Israeli sources told the country’s media last Saturday: a new proposal presented to Hamas in recent hours the last opportunity that the Palestinian organization has accept a ceasefire or, failing that, the Israeli army will launch a major offensive against the city.

In statements to the newspaper Yedioth AhronotAn Israeli official described the latest negotiations with Hamas, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, as “very good and characterized by progress in all respects” before warning of the seriousness of the situation.

“It is moving towards Hamas through Egypt, which “There are very serious intentions to attack Rafah.”the source warned, while other Israeli officials told national television’s Channel 12 that the proposal was essentially the “last chance” Hamas would have before the operation.

“It’s either an agreement now or Rafah,” the source warned Channel 12, before declaring that the Israeli army was absolutely convinced that it where it hides the one who is considered the organizer of the October 7 massacre in Israel, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.

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However, there is no consensus on this position in the Israeli military cabinet. In accordance with Kansk newsOn Friday, the Israeli government’s two main far-right backers, ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, threatened during a high-level security cabinet meeting that if the Rafah offensive was called off, They will eventually step down from their positions in the executive branch.

(Europe Press)