Israel May Halt Rafah Operation Pending Hostage Release Deal
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced on Saturday that a potential military operation targeting Hamas battalions in the southern Gaza city of Rafah could be postponed pending a deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages. During a Channel 12 television interview, Katz emphasized that freeing the hostages remains Israel’s top priority.
The discussion of delaying the Rafah incursion coincides with ongoing international efforts to negotiate a cease-fire after six months of severe conflict in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attack, which included the taking of more than 250 Israelis and foreign nationals as hostages.
According to Katz, Rafah is a strategic location housing significant Hamas forces, including thousands of fighters who have retreated there. Despite this, Katz confirmed that any operations would be suspended should a hostage release agreement be reached. “If there will be a deal, we will suspend the operation,” he noted.
On the humanitarian front, Rafah’s proximity to the Egyptian border makes it a refuge for over 1 million Palestinians displaced by the conflict. The city’s residents, already burdened by displacement, face the daunting prospect of further upheaval.
In recent developments, Hamas has received Israel’s response to its cease-fire proposal through Egyptian and Qatari mediation and is reviewing it before issuing a reply. Concurrently, international pressure mounts for Hamas to release the hostages, with the United States and 17 other nations calling for their freedom as a step toward resolving the crisis.
Amid these negotiations, public pressure within Israel intensifies, demonstrated by a large protest in Tel Aviv demanding more decisive action to secure the hostages’ release.
