What's happened
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has threatened to launch a ground assault on Rafah in Gaza, pledging to achieve 'total victory' by destroying Hamas. Despite ceasefire negotiations, Netanyahu announced Israel's intention to invade Rafah, emphasizing the goal of eliminating Hamas regardless of a potential agreement.
Why it matters
The ongoing ceasefire negotiations and Netanyahu's pledge to invade Rafah highlight the delicate balance between achieving peace and Israel's security concerns. The outcome of these talks could have significant implications for the future of the Israel-Gaza conflict and the stability of the region.
What the papers say
The Independent reports on Netanyahu's announcement of Israel's planned incursion into Rafah, underscoring the potential consequences of such a move. Al Jazeera provides insight into Netanyahu's determination to achieve 'total victory' in the conflict, despite international concerns. South China Morning Post covers the ceasefire negotiations and Hamas' delegation to Egypt, signaling progress in the peace efforts.
How we got here
The Israel-Gaza conflict has been ongoing for nearly seven months, with Israel conducting airstrikes and ground offensives in response to Hamas attacks. Ceasefire negotiations have seen progress, but the key issue remains Israel's goal of destroying Hamas and ensuring its security.
More on these topics
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. It is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers south of Gaza City. Rafah's population of 152,950 is overwhelmingly made up of former Palestinian refugees.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.