February 7, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres expressed deep concerns over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Wednesday, saying an extension of Israeli operations there would have "disastrous" repercussions.

Rafah is “where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been squeezed in a desperate search for safety," he said in an address to the UN General Assembly Wednesday.

Highlighting the dire situation as a "humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences," he urgently called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages”.

Earlier on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also raised concerns about a potential expansion of Israeli military operations into Rafah during meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials, two Israeli officials told CNN. Rafah is where thousands of displaced civilians fled to as fighting intensified in northern Gaza and slowly made its way south.

Those trapped in the city have no remaining escape route. The city borders Egypt, and the crossing into that country has been closed for months.

Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military's chief of staff, briefed Blinken on Wednesday on Rafah, one Israeli official said, including the complexity of maneuvering in an area with so many civilians and which is located right on the Egyptian border.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his final meeting of the day in Israel, after speaking with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for nearly an hour and a half.

Their one-on-one meeting took place amid US concerns about the humanitarian toll of Israel expanding its operations into Rafah, where more than one million people have fled fighting in the north.

CNN reported earlier Wednesday that Blinken raised concerns about a potential expansion of Israeli military operations into Rafah during meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials, according to two Israeli officials.

Gallant was present at an earlier meeting with Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzei Halevi, who briefed Blinken on the Israeli military’s plans to expand ground operations into Rafah in the coming weeks, one Israeli official said, including the complexity of maneuvering in an area with so many civilians and located right on the Egyptian border.

Hamas will send a delegation to Cairo Thursday to follow up on the counterproposal it offered, the group's spokesman Osama Hamdan said at a press conference in Beirut on Wednesday.

Hamdan called the Hamas counterproposal a "positive response" that "guarantees reconstruction, lifting the siege, and releasing prisoners."

CNN reported on Wednesday that Hamas has presented its response, proposing a three-phase deal — each lasting 45 days — that would see the gradual release of hostages held in the enclave in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as the start of a massive humanitarian and rebuilding effort. Contrary to earlier demands, Hamas did not call for an immediate end to the war.

Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place during the truce, and the remaining hostages would only be released once a final deal to end the war was agreed, the document said.

Hamdan condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for saying Wednesday that he has not committed to the "crazy demands" of Hamas and that Israel's aim is "complete victory." He also called on the US to stop supporting Israel.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas discussed the latest developments in Gaza at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah on Wednesday.

Blinken and Abbas spoke about "developments in the ongoing efforts to stop the aggression against our people,” according to the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA.

The president highlighted the importance of swiftly delivering relief, medical and food supplies, along with essential services like water, electricity and fuel, to facilitate hospital functionality and shelters across Gaza, WAFA reported.

Abbas also called for the US recognition of Palestinian statehood and a full United Nations membership, highlighting a two-state solution as essential for peace.

Israel has repeatedly claimed its war is not against the Palestinian people, but against Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a Palestinian state or a role for the Palestinian Authority in post-war governance. 

In a meeting with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu earlier Wednesday, the US State Department said Blinken stressed “the urgent need to de-escalate tensions in the West Bank and prevent the conflict from expanding.” US President Joe Biden's administration last week imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers for perpetrating violence in the West Bank.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns about a potential expansion of Israeli military operations into Gaza’s southern city of Rafah during meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials, two Israeli officials told CNN on Wednesday.

Rafah is now home to more than 1.3 million people – more than half of Gaza’s population – many of whom fled intense fighting happening further north in the enclave. Israeli officials have vowed in recent days to move on the city. Displaced Palestinians crowded into tents in Rafah will have nowhere left to flee. The city borders Egypt, and the crossing into that country has been closed for months.

This is what the city looks like with the influx of displaced civilians.

Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military chief of staff, briefed Blinken on Wednesday on the Israeli military’s plans to expand ground operations into Rafah in the coming weeks, one Israeli official said, including the complexity of maneuvering in an area with so many civilians.

During the meeting, Blinken probed Israeli officials about how they were planning to operate in such a densely populated area and what measures they would take to mitigate harm to civilians.

Axios first reported details of Blinken’s meeting with Israeli officials.

Here's a locator map for Rafah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Wednesday news conference that Israel has not committed to Hamas' demands presented in a three-phase plan in response to a proposal aimed at the release of hostages in Gaza and a ceasefire.

CNN reported on Wednesday that Hamas has presented its response to a proposal for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza by calling for a phased Israeli withdrawal from the enclave during a four-and-a-half-month truce and a plan to permanently end the war, according to a copy of the group’s counteroffer obtained by CNN.

The Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza has proposed a three-phase deal, each lasting 45 days, that would also see the gradual release of hostages held in the enclave in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel — including those serving life sentences — as well as the start of a massive humanitarian and rebuilding effort.

Contrary to earlier demands, Hamas did not call for an immediate end to the war.

Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place during the truce and the remaining hostages would only be released once a final deal to end the war was agreed, the document said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US is reviewing the response from Hamas and that he would discuss it with Israeli government officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed an offer from Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza, insisting that Israel's goal of "complete victory" is within reach.

The Israeli leader described Hamas' demands as "delusional," but did not rule out further negotiations.

A statement published jointly by 17 Israeli based groups, including B’Tselem, Combatants for Peace, and Breaking the Silence, calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The organizations said that 120 days of war have caused "unfathomable death and destruction," decimated health care systems, created a lack of food supply and clean drinking water and displaced civilians in Gaza.

It called on the involved parties to "reach an immediate ceasefire."

Further, it asked Israel to allow unfettered entry and delivery of humanitarian aid and goods in Gaza, and for Hamas to release all hostages held in the enclave.

"These steps are vital for ensuring human rights and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike," it concluded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel's aim is "complete victory" and the country will "not do less than that." 

Blinken spoke to Netanyahu in Tel Aviv earlier in a closed-door meeting that lasted a little over an hour. 

Netanyahu said that he told the US secretary of state "that after we destroy Hamas, we will secure that Gaza is a safe area forever. history has proven that only one force can achieve this — Israel, the IDF and our security forces."

Netanyahu also reiterated his position that Israel should keep full security control of the Gaza Strip following the war. "Israel will be acting in Gaza whenever necessary in order for the terror not to come back," he said.