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full screenRafah, the last major city in Gaza not attacked by Israeli ground forces in the war. Picture from last Sunday. Photo: Fatima Shbair/AP/TT
Israel will invade Rafah in southern Gaza if the hostages held by terror-labeled Hamas are not released before the fasting month of Ramadan, Benny Gantz in Israel’s war cabinet said.
“The world must know, and Hamas leaders must know – if our hostages are not home by Ramadan, fighting will continue everywhere, including the Rafah area,” Gantz said at a conference in Jerusalem on Sunday.
– Hamas has a choice. They can surrender, release the hostages and the citizens of Gaza will be able to celebrate the holy holiday of Ramadan, Gantz continued, according to the Times of Israel.
Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, begins on March 10.
Gantz added that a ground offensive would be coordinated in talks with the US and Egypt to facilitate an evacuation and “minimize civilian casualties as much as possible”.
His statement is the most specific deadline yet that Israel has given regarding an offensive against Rafah, which is close to the border with Egypt.
Despite warnings from the international community, including the US and Egypt, Israel has stuck to its plan for a large-scale ground offensive against densely populated Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have sought refuge.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that Israeli ground forces will enter Rafah regardless of whether a deal freeing all the hostages is reached with Hamas.
The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying for weeks to negotiate a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. On Saturday, Qatar said the talks “have not progressed as expected”.