Israel and Gaza: Hamas accepts cease-fire proposal for Gaza, however Israel’s stance unsure because it approves Rafah operation

JERUSALEM — Israeli leaders have authorized a army operation into the Gaza Strip metropolis of Rafah, and Israeli forces at the moment are putting targets within the space, officers introduced Monday.

The transfer got here hours after Hamas introduced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned that the proposal was “removed from Israel’s important calls for,” however that it might nonetheless ship negotiators to proceed talks on a cease-fire settlement.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE; THE EARLIER STORY IS BELOW.

Hamas introduced Monday it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, however Israel mentioned it was learning the supply, leaving it unsure whether or not a deal had been sealed to convey a halt to the seven-month battle in Gaza.

It was the primary glimmer of hope {that a} deal would possibly avert additional bloodshed. Hours earlier, Israel ordered some 100,000 Palestinians to start evacuating the southern Gaza city of Rafah, signaling that an assault was imminent. America and different key allies of Israel oppose an offensive on Rafah, the place round 1.4 million Palestinians, greater than half of Gaza’s inhabitants, are sheltering.

Palestinians in Rafah erupted in cheers after the Hamas announcement, hoping it meant the invasion could be averted – however that remained unclear.

“We look at each reply and reply very significantly,” Israeli army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari mentioned of the Hamas response. However, he added, Israel’s army operations would proceed within the meantime. An official conversant in Israeli considering mentioned the plan authorized by Hamas was not the framework Israel proposed.

President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated U.S. issues about an invasion of Rafah, telling him a cease-fire was one of the simplest ways to guard the lives of Israeli hostages, in response to a Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson, talking on situation of anonymity to debate the decision earlier than an official White Home assertion was launched.

U.S. State Division spokesman Matthew Miller mentioned American officers have been reviewing the Hamas response “and discussing it with our companions within the area.” An American official mentioned the U.S. was analyzing whether or not Hamas agreed to a model of the deal that had been signed off on by Israel and worldwide negotiators or one thing else.

Particulars of the proposal haven’t been launched. Touring the area final week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had pressed Hamas to take the deal, and Egyptian officers mentioned it referred to as for a cease-fire of a number of phases beginning with a restricted hostage launch and partial Israeli troop pullbacks inside Gaza. The 2 sides would additionally negotiate a “everlasting calm” that might result in a full hostage launch and larger Israeli withdrawal out of the territory, they mentioned.

Hamas had been in search of clearer ensures for its key demand of an finish to the battle and full Israeli withdrawal in return for the discharge of all its hostages, in response to Egyptian officers. It was not instantly recognized if any modifications have been made.

Netanyahu and different Israeli leaders have repeatedly rejected that trade-off, vowing to maintain up their marketing campaign till Hamas is destroyed after its Oct. 7 assault on Israel that triggered the battle.

Israel says Rafah is the final vital Hamas stronghold in Gaza, and Netanyahu mentioned Monday that the offensive towards the city was very important to making sure the militants cannot rebuild their army capabilities.

However he faces sturdy American opposition. After the Israeli evacuation order was issued, Miller mentioned the U.S. has not seen a reputable and implementable plan to guard Palestinian civilians. “We can’t help an operation in Rafah as it’s at present envisioned,” he mentioned.

The looming operation has raised world alarm. Help businesses have warned that an offensive will convey a surge of extra civilian deaths in an Israeli marketing campaign that has already killed 34,000 individuals and devastated the territory. It may additionally wreck the humanitarian assist operation based mostly out of Rafah that’s conserving Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip alive, they are saying.

U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday referred to as the evacuation order “inhumane.”

“Gazans proceed to be hit with bombs, illness, and even famine. And at this time, they’ve been informed that they need to relocate but once more,” he mentioned. “It can solely expose them to extra hazard and distress.

Israeli army leaflets have been dropped ordering evacuation from jap neighborhoods of Rafah, warning that an assault was imminent and anybody who stays “places themselves and their members of the family in peril.” Textual content messages and radio broadcasts repeated the message.

The army informed individuals to maneuver to an Israel-declared humanitarian zone referred to as Muwasi, a makeshift camp on the coast. It mentioned Israel has expanded the scale of the zone and that it included tents, meals, water and discipline hospitals.

It wasn’t instantly clear, nevertheless, if that was already in place.

Round 450,000 displaced Palestinians already are sheltering in Muwasi. The U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, referred to as UNRWA, mentioned it has been offering them with assist. However circumstances are squalid, with few loos or sanitation amenities within the largely rural space, forcing households to dig non-public latrines.

The evacuation order left Palestinians in Rafah wrestling with having to uproot their households as soon as once more for an unknown destiny, exhausted after months residing in sprawling tent camps or crammed into colleges or different shelters in and across the metropolis.

Mohammed Jindiyah mentioned that firstly of the battle, he had tried to carry out in his house in northern Gaza beneath heavy bombardment earlier than fleeing to Rafah.

He’s complying with Israel’s evacuation order this time, however was uncertain now whether or not to maneuver to Muwasi or one other city in central Gaza.

“We’re 12 households, and we do not know the place to go. There isn’t any secure space in Gaza,” he mentioned.

Sahar Abu Nahel, who fled to Rafah with 20 members of the family, together with her kids and grandchildren, wiped tears from her cheeks, despairing at a brand new transfer.

“I’ve no cash or something. I’m significantly drained, as are the youngsters,” she mentioned. “Possibly it is extra honorable for us to die. We’re being humiliated.”

Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, condemned the “compelled, illegal” evacuation order and the concept that individuals ought to go to Muwasi.

“The realm is already overstretched and devoid of significant companies,” Egeland mentioned. He mentioned that an Israeli assault may result in “the deadliest part of this battle.”

Israel’s bombardment and floor offensives in Gaza have killed greater than 34,700 Palestinians, round two-thirds of them kids and ladies, in response to Gaza well being officers. The tally would not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Greater than 80% of the inhabitants of two.3 million have been pushed from their houses, and lots of of hundreds within the north are on the point of famine, in response to the U.N.

Tensions escalated Sunday when Hamas fired rockets at Israeli troops positioned on the border with Gaza close to Israel’s most important crossing for delivering humanitarian assist, killing 4 troopers. Israel shuttered the crossing.

In the meantime, Israeli airstrikes on Rafah killed 22 individuals, together with kids and two infants.

The battle was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel wherein Hamas and different militants killed round 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and kidnapped round 250 hostages. After exchanges throughout a November cease-fire, Hamas is believed to nonetheless maintain about 100 Israelis as effectively the our bodies of round 30 others.

Mroue reported from Beirut. Samy Magdy in Cairo and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed.