Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved an attack plan targeting Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.
Mr. Netanyahu made the decision after a meeting of Israel’s war cabinet to discuss a new proposal from Hamas for a ceasefire.
As a first stage, Hamas has proposed to release the Israeli women, children, elderly and sick people it is holding hostage in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including some convicted of multiple murders of Israelis.
Netanyahu’s office said, the truce proposal presented by Hamas was based on unrealistic demands. The Israeli Prime Minister will, however, dispatch another delegation to Qatar for talks on a possible hostage deal, fostering hopes for a ceasefire.
Hamas, the terrorist organisation seized about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages when it launched an attack into Israel in October, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. About half of the hostages were released during a week-long truce in November; Israel believes about 130 of the captives remain in Gaza and that 32 are dead.