It is the first time Israel has said when it will eventually send soldiers into Rafah. It is a member of Israel’s war cabinet, Benny Gantz, who warned on Sunday that unless Hamas releases all hostages held in Gaza by March 10, they will launch an offensive against Rafah. – The world must know, and the Hamas leaders must know: if our hostages are not home by Ramadan, the fighting will continue, also in the Rafah area, Gantz said according to several media outlets, including the BBC. The Muslim holiday of Ramadan begins on Sunday 10 March. Warns Israel About two-thirds of the Gaza Strip’s total population now resides in the southern border town, which is the most central channel for humanitarian aid via Egypt. According to international aid organisations, such as Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross, over 1.3 million Palestinians are gathered in the border town. Palestinian crowds try to buy bread from a bakery in Rafah. International aid organizations say Gaza is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other basic supplies as a result of the war between Israel and Hamas. Photo: AP Although there are currently no Israeli forces in the city, Israel conducts regular bombing and airstrikes around the city. Egypt and some other Arab countries have repeatedly warned that an Israeli offensive in Rafah would risk pushing many Palestinians into Egypt – something they consider unacceptable. Saudi Arabia has warned of “very serious consequences” if Rafah is stormed, according to the BBC. Last week, US President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to carry out a ground invasion of Rafah. – The major military operation in Rafah should not be carried out without a clear plan to ensure the safety of more than a million people who live there, Biden said from the podium last Wednesday. – Will minimize civilian casualties Benny Gantz, who made the announcement on Sunday, is a former commander of the Israeli army, minister of justice, minister of defense, and he now sits in Israel’s war cabinet. The cabinet was established after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October. 2023. During his speech on Sunday, Gantz added that Israel would act in a “coordinated manner, facilitating the evacuation of civilians in dialogue with our American and Egyptian partners to minimize civilian casualties.” Hamas is still holding around 130 hostages in Gaza, Israel believes. However, it is uncertain how many of them have died. Former Chief of the Israeli Army, Minister of Justice and Minister of Defense Benny Gantz. Photo: Reuters The announcement by Benny Gantz has not yet been confirmed by the Israeli government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says those who ask the country not to enter Rafah are asking Israel to “lose the war” against Hamas. He also states that a ground operation in Rafah will take place regardless of whether an agreement on the release of hostages is concluded. – Even if we achieve that, we will enter Rafah, he said when speaking on Israeli television on Saturday.
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Sets deadline in March for ground offensive in Rafah – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
