(MENAFN- Live Mint) "Hours after Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal brought by Egypt and Qatar, Israeli military launched targeted strikes against the militant group in the southern Gaza city of Rafah following the country's war cabinet approval on it, said officials late Monday.
A Palestinian security official informed that Israel's tanks entered southern Gaza town of Rafah, reaching as close as 200 meters (yards) from its crossing with neighboring Egypt to Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV, Israeli officials had already informed Egyptians that the troops will withdraw after completing the operation More than a million people have rushed to tents and apartments in Rafah after Israel's military operation on parts of Gaza Strip, AP reported.
Israel claims that Rafah is Hamas' final stronghold, but until the country presents a \"credible\" strategy for safeguarding civilians in the city, the United States is against a full-scale invasion of the Egyptian border accepts Gaza ceasefireHamas accepted the Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire proposal on Monday. However, Israel stated that the deal did not meet its“core demands”, so the country will continue negotiations and strikes in Rafah. Following this, Qatar's foreign ministry said its delegation will head to Cairo on Tuesday to resume indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the truce proposal fell short of Israel's demands but Israel would send a delegation to meet with negotiators to try to reach an agreement. He added that his war cabinet approved continuing an operation in Rafah's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on social media site X (formerly Twitter) that Netanyahu was jeopardizing a ceasefire by bombing Rafah State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also said Washington would discuss the Hamas response with its allies in the coming hours, and a deal was \"absolutely achievable\".The war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 252 others, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. More than 34,600 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.
(With inputs from agencies)
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