An Israeli delegation headed by senior officials could arrive in Washington as soon as Monday, CNN reported Friday.
Israeli officials, however, failed to confirm the delegation will leave after it was previously blocked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.
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Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF soldiers in Gaza, Joe Biden
(Photo: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz, IDF Spokesperson's Unit, REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Meanwhile, Egypt and other Arab countries are making preparations for a potential IDF operation in Rafah, Hamas’ largest stronghold, where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
According to the report, Israel offered Monday as the date for the talks instead of the planned Sunday, acknowledging the timing is complicated amid the expiration of Israeli laws exempting the ultra-Orthodox sector from military service and resulting political firestorm.
The American officials added there was no scheduled time for the meeting, and the White House said it is working with Israel to reschedule in time. "We’re now working with them to find a convenient date that’s obviously going to work for both sides,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday.
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Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during his visit to the U.S.
(Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry)
During his meetings in Washington with senior U.S. military and government officials on Monday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the four remaining Hamas battalions in the Rafah area must be dismantled because otherwise, Hamas would continue to pose a threat to Israel. He said that as a son of Holocaust survivors, "Never again" is a working plan and not just a principle.
He asked the U.S. not to place obstacles in Israel's way but to assist it in finishing the war, after having killed approximately 11,000 Hamas terrorists. "The last terrorist does not need to be killed," Galant argued, "but Hamas, as a terrorist army with almost three divisions of soldiers, needs to cease to exist." However, American officials hinted that there was a linkage between American requests and the 14 billion dollar aid that was promised to Israel at the beginning of the war.
Gallant also heard criticism toward Israel in his meetings. Washington has lost confidence in Netanyahu's ability to lead a complex operation in Rafah, that should begin with the orderly evacuation of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians from the city.
Meanwhile, Egypt and the Arab world are closely monitoring all developments regarding the future military operation in Rafah, which Cairo vehemently opposes. Despite its opposition, Arab media reports indicated the country has begun to prepare for such a scenario.
Qatari newspaper The New Arab reported Saturday, citing an Egyptian source, that Cairo asked the U.S. for information about the expected military activity in the city. According to the source, Egypt wants to establish and equip public facilities in northern Sinai and is preparing for the possibility of allowing 100,000 Palestinians into the country during the operation, in addition to about 50,000 wounded.
Last week, the outlet reported that Egyptian officials had asked Israel for full coordination before any steps were taken in Rafah, and Israel in turn refused to set a clear date for the execution of a military operation in the area.