Israel Warns Egypt of Impending Offensive
Israel reportedly warned Egypt that this was the “last chance” for a hostage deal with Hamas before it attacked Rafah. Talks between Israeli officials and the Egyptian delegation ended with Israel refusing to delay the offensive.
Israel’s Ultimatum to Hamas
According to Channel 12 news, Israel made it clear that it would not allow Hamas to stall the IDF strike on Rafah by prolonging the hostage deal negotiations. An official stated, “This is the last chance before we go into Rafah.”
Egypt’s Role in Ceasefire Negotiations
Egypt and Qatar are key negotiators working towards brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Egypt is particularly concerned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah could lead to a mass exodus of Palestinians into Egypt, potentially posing a security threat due to a possible border breach. Rafah, located in southern Gaza, is home to over one million displaced Palestinians following previous conflicts.
Earlier this week, Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and Ronen Bar, Director of the Shin Bet security agency, visited Cairo. During their visit, Egypt presented new proposals for negotiating a hostage settlement between Israel and Hamas. Subsequently, an Egyptian delegation visited Israel to finalize the hostage deal talks.
Positive Progress in Negotiations
A senior Israeli official described the negotiations as “very good, focused, held in good spirits, and progressing in all parameters.” The official emphasized the importance of time in the Rafah operation and Egypt’s efforts to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a hostage release deal.
Regarding the negotiations, an Israeli official stated, “This is part of what the negotiations are going to focus on now. The number of days of the ceasefire will be linked to the number of hostages who will be released. If Hamas desires a humanitarian deal, Israel will not be the obstacle.”