For Benjamin Netanyahu, refusing to carry out the operation in Rafah would mean “losing the war” against Hamas.

The Israeli Prime Minister does not intend to interfere with the implementation of his military plans. Benjamin Netanyahu assured on Saturday evening that the Israeli army must carry out an operation in the city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million Palestinians have gathered in the southern Gaza Strip, otherwise it will “lose the war” to Hamas.

During a press conference held in Jerusalem, Bibi also confirmed that the IDF will carry out its operation in Rafah even if an agreement is reached with the Palestinian Islamist movement to release hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas threatens to suspend negotiations

For its part, Hamas threatened on Saturday night to pull out of truce talks if more aid was not quickly delivered to the Gaza Strip, including the famine-threatened north of the territory. “Negotiations cannot take place while hunger is consuming the Palestinian people. The movement intends to suspend negotiations until aid is provided to the northern Gaza Strip,” the Hamas “leader” said in a statement broadcast by Al-Aqsa.

When asked by AFP, a senior official of the Palestinian Islamist movement, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that “Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been informed of Hamas’s intention to suspend negotiations until assistance is provided in the Gaza Strip, including the north.”

Complicated negotiations for a truce in the fighting, the release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners imprisoned by Israel continue through mediating countries Egypt, Qatar and the United States. Hamas insists, among other things, on a “complete ceasefire” and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose war in the Gaza Strip is aimed at “destroying” the Islamist movement, is at this stage abandoning Hamas’ demands and talking about a pause in fighting rather than a cessation of hostilities.