Netanyahu says hostage deal will delay Rafah operation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas will delay an IDF operation in Rafah, but stressed Israel will still conduct the operation later.

Why it matters: The Biden administration is working to reach a hostage deal that would lead to at least six weeks of cease-fire in Gaza.

• "We really need this deal because we really need this pause," a U.S. official told Axios on Saturday.
• The Biden administration is highly concerned about a possible Israeli military operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are living.
• The U.S. fears the operation could move forward within weeks if a hostage deal isn't achieved.

Driving the news: U.S., Qatari and Egyptian officials presented a more detailed framework for a hostage deal to Israeli negotiators during a key meeting in Paris on Friday, sources told Axios.