Netanyahu orders Rafah invasion

Tel Aviv  (QJ)-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the date for the invasion of Rafah has been set, according to a video he posted on his official Telegram channel.

Netanyahu did not specify the exact date.

He also said that “entering Rafah” is necessary for a “complete victory over Hamas.”

Netanyahu’s remarks come after Israel announced its withdrawal from Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip following weeks of intense fighting that severely damaged much of the city.

Rafah is home to an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians and is located in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip.

The announcement came as CIA Director Bill Burns unveiled a new initiative to try to close the gaps in ongoing negotiations to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by the group, according to sources familiar with the discussions.