Hamas informed the mediators that the group will not take part in the expected hostage negotiations after the latest Israeli attack on a compound in Rafah that killed at least 35 Palestinian civilians, Haaretz reported on Monday, citing Hamas sources. Previously, it was reported that Egypt is in talks with Hamas and Israeli representatives to resume ceasefire negotiations, while Israeli media revealed that the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the negotiation team to restart talks with Hamas. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it did not expect the strikes launched on Sunday night targeting Hamas’ positions in Rafah to hurt civilians, while a government spokesperson claimed that they died as a result of a fire that broke out after Israel’s airstrike.
US reportedly judging if Israel crossed ‘red line’ in Rafah strike
The United States White House is currently assessing whether Israel’s latest airstrikes in a reported safe zone in Rafah on Sunday crossed the Biden administration’s “red line,” Axios’ journalist Barak Ravid reported on Monday, citing two US officials. The sources further added that a humanitarian crisis caused by the mass displacement of civilians from Rafah might also be considered a breach of Biden’s stated limit and that the US is involved in discussions with the IDF and local allies on the ground to evaluate the incident. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden vowed to halt weapons shipments to Israel if it launched a full-scale invasion in the region. “The devastating images following the IDF strike in Rafah last night that killed dozens of innocent Palestinians are heartbreaking. Israel has a right to go after Hamas … but as we’ve been clear, Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians,” the White House stressed earlier. NN: A major cock up. This is the last thing Israel needs right now.