https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-middle-east-68963839?src_origin=BBCS_BBC
Hamas leaders said the group had accepted the terms of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza following talks that continued over the weekend in Cairo. Hamas says that “the ball is now in Israel’s court,” but Israeli authorities are in no hurry to give a final answer.
The announcement came amid evacuations in Rafah, which borders Egypt, and Israel preparing to storm Hamas hideouts in the city, which has sheltered more than a million Palestinians from the north of the enclave.
In Rafah, news of a possible truce was greeted with jubilation, and the United States again called on Israel not to launch an operation in the city. However, Israel repeated the call for evacuation in the evening and began carrying out strikes in eastern Rafah. The IDF promised to provide more details about the strikes soon.
The US emphasizes that this is not yet an Israeli offensive on Rafah. A US official told reporters in the traditional anonymous briefing that the United States is concerned about new Israeli strikes on Rafah, but is now focused on preventing a major military operation in the densely populated city, which Israel does not appear to be launching yet. .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country's military cabinet has decided to continue pressure on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages taken on October 7. According to him, although the proposed truce does not satisfy Israel's demands, a delegation will be sent for negotiations.
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