Preparations are underway for a significant operation by the Israeli government in the Rafah region of Gaza, bordering Egypt, believed to be the location of Israeli hostages and their captors. Sources within Israel's defense ministry indicate that this operation has been in the contingency plans, activated due to stalled negotiations in Qatar.
Despite efforts for peace talks in Qatar, Israel's rejection of many demands from Hamas representatives led to an impasse. Consequently, Israel has initiated its alternate plan, scheduling a military maneuver to commence shortly after Ramadan.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and intelligence agencies have briefed the war cabinet on the strategic aspects and logistical requirements of this operation. Rafah, densely populated with approximately 1.3 million Palestinians, has become a focal point, particularly as displaced individuals from other parts of Gaza have congregated there.
Israeli military authorities assure that a comprehensive plan is in place to relocate civilians from Gaza, employing advanced drone technology for surveillance to prevent the movement of hostages. Intelligence assessments indicate Hamas presence in Rafah to be limited to four battalions, as per sources within the defense ministry.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has communicated to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi the necessity of this action due to the failure of alternative hostage release strategies. Concurrently, former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, speaking in Amman, Jordan, suggested an imminent Israeli offensive post-Ramadan, asserting Hamas's readiness for confrontation.
