Netanyahu: Operation Rafah will leave Israel weeks away from “total victory”

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahustated on Sunday that a military operation in Rafawhere 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering in tents, would put Israel weeks away from a “total victory” about Hamas.

Negotiations for a ceasefire resumed in Dohareported Egyptian state-affiliated media on Sunday, but Netanyahu said that would not prevent an offensive on Rafa.

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“If we have a (ceasefire) agreement, it will take a while, but it will happen”, he told the American network CBS.

“If we don’t have an agreement, we’ll do it anyway. It has to be done because total victory is our goal and total victory is within our reach, not months away, but weeks away, as soon as we begin the operation.” he added.

An Israeli delegation was in Paris on Friday to discuss an agreement on a new ceasefire and the release of kidnapped people held by Hamas in Link in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivantold CNN this Sunday that the talks in Paris have reached a “understanding” about a possible deal.

“Representatives of Israel, U.S, Egypt It is Qatar met in Paris and reached an understanding among the four on what the basic outlines of a hostage agreement for a temporary ceasefire should be,” Sullivan said.

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Talks resumed in Doha, including Hamas representatives.

“We are working on it. It’s what we want, it’s what I want. Because we want to free the remaining hostagesNetanyahu said.

“I can’t say whether we will succeed, but if Hamas scales back on its delusional demands and accepts them, we will have the progress we all want.”, added the Israeli prime minister.

In the attack of October 7ththe Palestinian Islamist group has taken around 250 hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 believed to be dead.

Like a previous week-long truce in November that resulted in the release of more than 100 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners, Qatar, Egypt and the United States are leading the negotiations.

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International pressure for a ceasefire has increased in recent weeks as the death toll from Israel’s military offensive approaches 30,000, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, which rules Gaza, in response to its October attack that left 1,160 people dead, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Asked about US demands to protect civilians in Rafah, Netanyahu said his military chiefs would present him with a “double plan, an evacuation plan and a plan to dismantle the remaining (Hamas) battalions”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.