Israeli Foreign Minister says hostage deal could halt Rafah offensive

(Patria) - Israel's foreign minister said a planned incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah could be halted if a deal is reached to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, Reuters reported.

"The release of hostages is our top priority," Foreign Minister Israel Katz told local television Channel 12 in an interview. Asked if that included delaying the planned operation to eliminate Hamas battalions in Rafah, Katz replied: "Yes".

He added: "If there is a deal, we will halt the operation." While Katz is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, he is not part of the war cabinet overseeing the Gaza offensive.

Israel says Rafah is home to four Hamas fighting battalions bolstered by thousands of retreating fighters and that it must defeat them to achieve victory. But Rafah, which lies on the Egyptian border, is sheltering more than a million Palestinians who have fled Israel's offensive in the rest of Gaza.

Earlier, Hamas said it had received Israel's official response to its ceasefire proposal in talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar and would study it before replying. As Hamas released a new video showing two hostages pleading for release, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv, demanding the government do more to free them.

Around 1,200 people were killed on October 7 in the Hamas attack. Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in its offensive in Gaza. More than 130 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including women and children.