Israel at Crossroads Between Rafah Incursion, Hostage Deal as Blinken Visits
JERUSALEM, Israel – The next 72 hours will be crucial to see which direction Israel goes in its war with Hamas. Either Hamas will agree to an extended ceasefire and a release of hostages or Israel is poised to begin its invasion of Rafah, the last terrorist stronghold of Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel Tuesday as part of his latest Middle East trip. During Blinken's time in Israel, Netanyahu announced that the Rafah invasion will occur "with or without a deal," as the ceasefire talks continue.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Blinken put the burden on Hamas to accept what he said was an extraordinary offer by Israel. Jerusalem has reportedly reduced the number of hostages to be released to just thirty-three.
"Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous, on the part of Israel. And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas," Blinken said.
Hamas claims to be reviewing the proposal. For months, Hamas has demanded an end to the war and the pullout of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Without a ceasefire, Israel is poised to enter Rafah and potentially finish the war. But Blinken indicated the U.S. won't support a major military operation in Rafah without guaranteeing the safety of the Gazans in the city.
Rafah is key since it holds the last remaining Hamas battalions, their top leaders, and the strategic tunnels on the Egyptian border. Those tunnels are the lifeline where Hamas gets resupplied with arms and weapons.
Another key reason Israel is so focused on Rafah is that it's believed that most if not all of the hostages are being held captive there.
Israeli journalist Amit Segal told CNN that Rafah is a priority for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the majority of Israelis.
"I don’t think Netanyahu wants to skip Rafah," Segal stated. "This is his raison d’etre, to win the war as he defined it. I tell you what the public opinion in Israel believes in. It believes in full victory over Hamas. You see it in each and every poll. The most persuasive thing for Netanyahu to do as a politician is to defeat Hamas.”
Israel is also waiting to see if the International Criminal Court will issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other top Israeli military and political leaders for war crimes charges.
International legal expert Andrew Tucker told CBN News the court's timing is suspicious. “It could surely be no coincidence that it comes right now leading into the possible move into Rafah," he said.
Tucker believes the ICC's move appears designed to pressure Israel at a critical time.
“And to come out right now with an announcement which has apparently been leaked. But they've informed Israeli leaders or Israeli leaders have come to the knowledge that this (issuing arrest warrants) is likely, I think is highly problematic. It's stigmatizing Israel. It's criminalizing Israeli leaders," Tucker asserted.
The ICC is apparently also investigating Hamas for war crimes.
In the U.S., anti-Israel protests continue on college campuses. At New York's Columbia University, demonstrators defied another deadline to leave and some have now taken over a university building. University officials say students who refuse to leave will be suspended.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you receive the latest updates from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
