The IDF has released some reserve forces stationed near the Gaza Strip's Rafah, an Israeli source told Ynet, as the military prepares for a large-scale ground offensive in the Palestinian border city and Israel awaits Hamas' response to the proposed Egyptian-mediated hostage release deal proposal.
The decision to launch an operation in Rafah hinges on the success of ongoing negotiations for a deal, even as senior Israeli officials insist the operation will proceed despite international concerns about a military incursion into the area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed on Tuesday that the operation would move forward regardless of whether a deal with Hamas is reached, asserting that Israel will not stop its war against the terror group.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that according to intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, the terror organization expressed concern that recent statements by senior Israeli officials indicate their intention to continue military operations - even though, according to the report, Israel offered a "prolonged period of calm," in exchange for the release of hostages.
Meanwhile, senior Hamas member Osama Hamdan said on Wednesday that a Rafah offensive would scuttle hostage talks. "The resistance will not negotiate under fire," he told Hezbollah-owned Lebanese channel Al Manar.
International media published on Wednesday images of armored vehicles being amassed in southern Israel on the border with Rafah. The Associated Press news agency reported that tanks were also spotted at the assembly area.
The preparations are reportedly aimed at ramping up pressure on Hamas during negotiations, although Israel has clarified that these actions are part of broader preparations. The outcome of these negotiations, particularly Hamas' response to the proposed deal, is expected to shape Israel's next steps.
Meanwhile, the United States, through Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has expressed opposition to any operation in Rafah without a plan to evacuate civilians from the fighting, a stance he reiterated during his recent meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.
"We cannot, will not support a major military operation in Rafah absent an effective plan to make sure that civilians are not harmed and no, we’ve not seen such a plan,” Blinken told reporters.