WSJ-Israel Gives Hamas 1 Wk To Back Ceasefire Deal To Avoid Rafah Op

WSJ reportingthat according to Egyptian officials, Israel are giving Hamas one week to agree to a ceasefire deal if it is to avoid an IDF ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The current deal would see an initial temporary 40-day ceasefire implemented in exchange for the release of up to 33 hostages held by Hamas, with later phases seeing a six-week ceasefire in exchange for more hostages, and a potential long-term break in hostilities running for up to a year.

• Egypt is set to host Hamas officials in the coming days to discuss any deal.
• The potential for the IDF not to begin a ground operation in Rafah goes against long-standing comments from PM Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that Israeli forces will enter the city whether a ceasefire-for-hostages deal is reached or not. However, WSJ reports that, "behind closed doors, Israeli officials are considering postponing the Rafah invasion indefinitely if a long-term deal is struck, Egyptian officials say."
• Postponing any incursion into Rafah would go some way to reducing the strained tensions between Israel and its allies. Even the US, Israel's staunchest supporter, has frequently called for no Rafah operation without a 'credible plan' for avoiding mass civilian casulaties.