“We are on the path to victory and he - he added - we will not stop. We will go to Rafah and return to Khan Yunis", Gantz said.
Hamas is examining a proposal that includes a six-week truce and the release of Israeli women and children in exchange for up to 900 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange - reports Al Jazeera citing an anonymous source - "will include 100 people sentenced to life imprisonment". The first phase of the ceasefire would also involve the return of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza and the delivery of 400-500 trucks of food aid per day to the territory, with a substantial increase already underway in these days which mark the end of Ramadan and the Eid El Fitr holiday. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a phone call with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on Monday that Israel has not set a date for launching a ground offensive in Rafah, contradicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, source says of the Times of Israel. Israel is still finalizing its plans to evacuate the approximately 1.5 million Palestinians currently sheltering in the southern Gaza Strip city after fleeing combat areas to the north.