Israel Gives Hamas a Week to Strike a Deal or Rafah Offensive Will Begin

Israel has given Hamas a week to agree to a cease-fire deal or it will begin a military operation in Rafah, Egyptian officials said Friday, as the militant group stalls for better terms that would ensure its survival.

Egypt worked with Israel on a revised cease-fire proposal that it presented to Hamas last weekend, according to Egyptian officials. Hamas’s political leadership was expected to consult with its military wing in Gaza and revert to the proposal. But Yahya Sinwar, the group’s military leader in Gaza, who is believed to be hiding in tunnels in the enclave and makes the final decisions, hasn’t responded, the officials said.

Egyptian officials say Hamas is seeking a long-term truce and guarantees from the U.S. that a cease-fire will be respected by Israel. Hamas officials have expressed concerns that the latest proposal is still too vague and gives Israel room to restart the fighting.