Jerusalem: In a decisive move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sanctioned a military strategy aimed at Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. This development follows intense deliberations within Israel’s war cabinet over a ceasefire proposition put forth by Hamas.
The initial phase of Hamas’s ceasefire blueprint involves the liberation of Israeli hostages—specifically women, children, the elderly, and the infirm—in return for the freedom of numerous Palestinian detainees, some of whom have been convicted of the murder of Israeli citizens.
However, Netanyahu’s administration has dismissed the ceasefire overture as grounded in impractical demands. Despite this, the Israeli leader is set to send a delegation to Qatar to negotiate a potential agreement regarding the hostages, signaling a glimmer of hope for an armistice.
The situation escalated when Hamas, designated as a terrorist group, abducted approximately 250 Israelis and foreigners during an incursion into Israel last October, resulting in the tragic loss of around 1,200 lives, predominantly civilians. A temporary ceasefire in November saw the release of about half of the hostages. Current estimates by Israel suggest that roughly 130 hostages remain detained in Gaza, with 32 presumed deceased.
