Hamas threatens to end negotiations if Israel invades Rafah. Neighboring countries, partners and important mediators are warning of a catastrophe.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army on Friday to prepare an offensive on Rafah in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip. Rafah, near the border with Egypt, is the only place in the coastal area where Hamas still exercises control. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, almost 28,000 people have been killed since the war began.