A member of the Israeli War Council indicated that a ground invasion of Rafah might begin around Ramadan, which is expected to begin on March 10.
“If our hostages do not return to their homes by Ramadan, the fighting will continue in the Rafah area,” retired Gen. Benny Gantz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s three-member cabinet, told a conference of American Jewish leaders.
It's the first time IsraelGaza leaders have publicly discussed a timetable for a ground assault on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million lives. Refuge.
Ramadan – the Islamic holy month of fasting – has been a historically tense time in the region.
Mr. Gantz's comments come at a time when Mr. Netanyahu is arriving I ignored the calls To stop the military attack in Gaza He vowed to “finish the job.”
He also stated the demands of governance in Gaza agitation The militant group was “delusional” as ceasefire negotiations struggled to make progress.
The United States, Israel's biggest ally, says it still hopes to broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement, and envisions a broader solution to the war.
Washington also said it would veto another UN draft resolution calling for a ceasefire, and its UN ambassador warned against actions that could jeopardize “the chance for a lasting solution to the hostilities.”
But Netanyahu's government adopted a declaration on Sunday saying that Israel “categorically rejects international resolutions on the permanent settlement with the Palestinians” and opposes any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
Palestinians in Rafah take shelter on the border with Egypt. Photo: Reuters
The international community overwhelmingly supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as part of a future peace agreement, but Netanyahu's government is filled with hardliners who oppose Palestinian independence.
On the other hand, the Director-General of the World Health Organization said that the main medical center in southern Gaza, Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis“It is no longer operational” after Israeli forces raided it last week.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the team was not allowed to enter the hospital on Friday or Saturday. He said that about 200 patients were still present, including 20 who needed urgent referrals to other places.
Palestinians in Rafah take shelter on the border with Egypt. Photo: Reuters
But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that at least 200 militants surrendered at the hospital. He also claimed that Hamas was defeated in Khan Yunis and is largely leaderless in Gaza.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that among the detainees were 70 medical personnel, along with patients, leaving 150 patients without medical care.
She said that Israel refused to allow patients, including newborns, to be transferred to other hospitals.
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Israeli strikes also continued across Gaza, killing at least 18 people overnight Sunday, according to medics and witnesses.
The UN Supreme Court is set to open a week of hearings on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories on Monday, with more than 50 countries scheduled to address the justices.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki will speak first about the legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
In 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the court to issue an advisory, or non-binding, opinion on the occupation.
While Israel has ignored such views in the past, they may increase political pressure over its ongoing war in Gaza.
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The war led to the deaths of at least 28,985 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
She said on Sunday that 127 bodies were transferred to hospitals during the past 24 hours. The Ministry of Health said another 68,883 people were infected.
About 80% of Gaza's population has been displaced, and a quarter of them face famine.
The Israeli military assault on Gaza began after the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostage.
The militants are still holding about 130 hostages, and a quarter of them are believed to be dead.
