The Israel-Hamas war

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Israeli attacks in Rafah

Israel carried out "targeted attacks" in eastern Rafah in Gaza on Monday evening, several media reports.

According to the country's military, it is Hamas targets that are being attacked. Witnesses tell SR Ekot that tanks rolled into the city, but this has not been confirmed.

On Monday, Israel called on around 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate East Rafah, in what was seen as a step towards a ground invasion.

Israel continues the offensive - heavy explosions

Israel is continuing plans for a ground offensive in Rafah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a press conference this evening.

At the same time, the IDF states that it is carrying out airstrikes against Hamas.

"The IDF is currently conducting targeted attacks against the Hamas terrorist target of East Rafah in southern Gaza".

Heavy explosions have been reported, according to BNO News.

According to Netayahu, the aim is to get Hamas to release the people being held hostage.

Earlier in the day, Israel called on 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate the city, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion is on the way.

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Hamas has accepted ceasefire proposals - Israel sends delegation

Hamas has accepted a proposal for a ceasefire, AP reports. The message must have been conveyed to the mediator countries Qatar and Egypt, which are behind the proposal.

It is not clear how it is worded. According to early information, Israel says no to the proposal, but Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said later on Monday evening that it was being reviewed, the BBC reports.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that the country's demands are not being met, but that a delegation will be sent for negotiations. He further says that the operations in Gaza continue.

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Details: Hamas abandons talks after Israel's move

Israel's call for an evacuation of Rafah means that Hamas leaves the ceasefire negotiations. That's what Axios reporter Barak Ravid writes, citing a high-ranking source within Hamas, on X.

"We were close to an agreement. Israel's decision to begin evacuation means an end to negotiations," says the source.

During the weekend, talks were held in Cairo with representatives from Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Israel chose not to send a delegation.

Reuters has also spoken to a source within Hamas who calls Israel's evacuation order "a dangerous escalation".

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Sources: Netanyahu made negotiations more difficult

The negotiations on a cease-fire in Gaza looked promising for a long time, but now seem to have reached a stalemate again, writes the New York Times. Hamas and Israel now take turns blaming each other for the talks being fruitless.

The paper has spoken to an Israeli official who says the parties were close to reaching an agreement on Saturday, but that Hamas' stance hardened when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel was determined to carry out a ground invasion in Rafah.

- We were very close, but Netanyahu's bigotry led to the agreement not being reached, says Hamas spokesperson Mousa Abu Marzouk to the newspaper.

Israel, for its part, points to Hamas attacking a border post on Sunday, which led to the death of three Israeli soldiers.

"Israel has agreed to major concessions to get the hostages home, but Hamas has refused time and time again," writes the country's foreign minister Israel Katz on X.