Israeli army chief approves plans for Rafah ground attack

JERUSALEM

Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has approved plans for a ground offensive in Rafah in the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media on Sunday.

The move comes despite efforts by mediators to reach a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Plans for the Rafah ground attack were approved during a meeting between Halevi, Southern Command chief Yaron Finkelman and other division and brigade commanders, The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported.

The move followed a threat by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to bring down the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he accepts an Egyptian proposal for a Gaza cease-fire.

An Egyptian intelligence delegation held talks with Israeli officials on Friday to discuss a proposed cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip.

The new proposal includes Israel’s willingness to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza after an initial release of hostages on humanitarian grounds, two Israeli officials told Axios news website.

A Palestinian source told Anadolu that Hamas will deliver its response to the proposed Gaza cease-fire deal on Monday.

Despite international warnings about a planned Israeli invasion of Rafah, the Israeli army insists on going ahead with attacking the tiny city, which is home to nearly 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

Last week, an Israeli government spokesperson said Netanyahu set a date for invading Rafah, the last remaining area in Gaza where Israel has not yet formally announced the entry of its troops to continue the onslaught against Palestinians.

Israel has launched a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 34,400 Palestinians have since been killed and thousands injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Rania Abu Shamala