Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an early Sunday morning interview with CBS, told the broadcaster that the IDF was heading into Gaza’s Rafah and that plans for such an operation would be approved that day, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated.
Reporting on Netanyahu’s remarks in the CBS interview, Reuters noted that the operation would include a plan to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinian civilians, as well as the assault on the local Hamas battalions.
“We are working on a hostage deal. I want a deal to release the hostages, and I appreciate the efforts of the United States. I do not know if we will get a deal, but if Hamas comes down to a reasonable situation, there will be a deal,” Netanyahu said during the interview, Maariv quoted the PM as stating.
Speaking on the efforts to block a Palestinian state, the PMO added, “This week, we achieved a majority of 99 Knesset members in favor of my proposal against international recognition of establishing a Palestinian state. This is an unprecedented majority.”
Reuters added that the prime minister said that what may delay the IDF operation in Rafah is the possible hostage deal.
Hostage deal will delay, not stop, Rafah operation
“If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen,” Reuters quoted Netanyahu as saying. “If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway,” he told CBS.